Note: we are the only vendor in the EU and UK currently selling this species. 
Common Name: Chinese Harvester Ant
Scientific Name: Messor valentinae
Difficulty: Easy (Recommended for keepers who have kept at least one species of ants or evem begginers)
Classification: Exotic species – Native to dry steppe and grassland regions in China and Central Asia
 
Messor valentinae is a striking exotic harvester ant species known for its highly polymorphic caste system, impressive majors (soldiers), and voracious seed harvesting behaviour. It is less commonly kept than Messor barbarus, but equally fascinating. This species is well-adapted to warm, semi-arid environments and thrives in captivity with proper heat and humidity balance.
 
Colony Structure
Colony form: Monogyne (single queen per colony)
Queen size: 13–15 mm – dark reddish-brown to nearly black
Worker sizes:
Minor workers: 3–6 mm
Media workers: 6–10 mm
Major soldiers: 10–14 mm, large head for seed-cracking
Colony size: 100 to 10,000+ workers over 2–3 years
 
Diet
Seeds: Primary food source – e.g. millet, dandelion, sunflower, chia
Protein: Insects like fruit flies, mealworms, crickets (crushed or dried)
Sugar: Honey or sugar water once a week in very small amounts
Tip: Do not overfeed protein – they require mostly seeds and only light insect feeding
 
Environmental Needs
Temperature: 24°C – 28°C (ideal around 26°C)
Humidity:
Nest: 50–60%
Foraging area: 30–50%
Escape prevention: Use PTFE (fluon) or talcum-alcohol barrier
Founding method: Claustral (queen seals herself in and raises first workers without food)
Preferred setups: Ytong, gypsum, or acrylic nests with hydration zones and dry chambers
 
 Behaviour
Not aggressive to humans, but very defensive toward intruders in their nest
Heavy seed collectors – known to bury large numbers of seeds in chambers
Highly organised – form efficient foraging lines once colony matures
Majors (soldiers) actively crush and process hard seeds
Tend to block nest entrances with sand or debris when disturbed
Known to create refuse/midden piles away from the brood area – this helps with cleanliness
Not prone to escape when containment is adequate
Semi-nocturnal activity in some colonies, foraging more during cooler hours
 
Hibernation / Diapause
Not strictly necessary, but a light diapause is recommended
Duration: 6–8 weeks from October to February
Temperature: 15°C–18°C
Note: Monitor closely during diapause and ensure water availability – no feeding required
 
Live arrival guarantee:
We guarantee the live arrival of your Queen they come well packed in our jiffy bags which have two-sided padding as well as an additional layer of bubble wrap around our test tubes. We are the only company in the United Kingdom to offer our live arrival guarantee of your queen as well as an additional 14 day guarantee if the colony if kept in the original test tube for all our European species. Why do we do this? We are confident with our colony’s health and our packaging process as well as our care guides, we also believe in our customers and making sure they have a good ant keeping experience.
 
Live arrival guarantee we ensure the live arrival of the queen only upon delivery contact us within 24 hours of receiving the Queen dead on arrival with a picture of the dead queen and the original workers. DO NOT TRANSFER THE DEAD QUEEN OR WORKERS TO A NEST AS THIS VOIDS YOUR WARRANTY. For our additional 14-day guarantee for European species the Queen and workers must be kept in the original test tube sealed with the cotton and care sheet instructions followed if you want to keep this additional guarantee do not transfer to a nest or your warranty is VOIDED (we recommend you keep the 14-day warranty).
 
We have no control over the environment outside the test tube and have no influence in the conditions the responsibility once placed outside the test tube within the 14-day period the responsibility is with the buyer. 9 times out of 10 colonies die in the nest due to lack of water access, food, temperature, oxygen or stress due to vibrations or exposure to excess light. If your colony does fail inside a nest contact us, we can advise what went wrong but it is up to you to buy another ant colony, you will succeed but sometimes it does not work the first time. Research is key to success with ant keeping and follow our guides.