Messor barbarus
Mediterranean harvester ant
Specialized granivorous species that stores and processes seeds in sophisticated underground granaries.
- Habitat
- Mediterranean arid and semi-arid zones, dry grasslands and coastal dunes.
- Behavior
- Large colonies with polymorphic workers; create well-defined trails for seed collection.
- Distribution
- Mediterranean basin: southern Europe, North Africa and the Near East.
- Diet
- Primarily seeds and grains; occasionally dead insects.
# Key Features
*Messor barbarus* plays a crucial role in secondary seed dispersal and in modifying plant composition of Mediterranean ecosystems. Mature colonies can store several kilograms of seeds, actively regulating temperature and humidity in their storage chambers. Major workers possess powerful mandibles capable of breaking hard seeds that other species cannot process.