Ant Farm Plaster Starter Set – Customize yourself

Gypsum Ant Farm Starter Set – Especially for Harvester Ants (Messor barbarus)

Discover the fascinating world of the harvester ant with this high-quality gypsum ant farm starter set! The Messor barbarus is by far one of the most fun and engaging ant species to keep, thanks to their unique behavior of collecting seeds and processing them into 'ant bread'. This basic kit contains the perfect gypsum nest and arena for this species. Assemble the set completely to your liking: choose the loose hardware or directly select the desired size of your starter colony!

Choose the size of your ant colony yourself:

Because we want to make the hobby accessible to everyone, you can order this set as a basic starter kit or combine it directly with a healthy Messor barbarus colony in the size that suits you:

• Without ants: Only the complete hardware (nest, arena, and accessories) – ideal if you already have a colony.
• Beginner colony (10+ workers): The perfect, gentle start. You will see the colony grow together from a small beginning.
• Growing colony (20+ workers): More activity in the arena from day one.
• Large starter colony (50+ workers): For the ultimate experience. Immediately plenty of activity, nest connection, and often larger workers (majors) -> impressive dynamics in the gypsum nest!

Contents of this starter set:

• Gypsum Ant Farm Major (2 connection openings)
• Town Square Arena (15x10x9 cm – 2 connections)
• Full-color, multilingual instruction booklet with clear step-by-step plan and complete explanation to successfully start your hobby
• Connection hose (can be cut to size)
• Test tube connector
• Ant Docking Station (protects the queen and her ant colony)
• Protective film for the nest area
• Moisture sprayer for accurate moistening of the reservoir

Why is a gypsum nest perfect for Harvester Ants?

Harvester ants have specific requirements for their living environment. They need good moisture gradation: a humid area for brood care (eggs and larvae) and a bone-dry area for storing their winter supply of seeds.

The sleekly designed gypsum nest provides the perfect solution. Each nest is completely handmade and equipped with a unique central moisture reservoir. This naturally creates humid chambers around the core, while the outer chambers remain dry. The shallow inner chambers (4 mm) are perfect for optimal observation, while the deeper outer chambers (7 mm) will be immediately used by the harvester ants as grain silos.

Thanks to our years of experience, this set includes a beautiful full-color instruction booklet. This multilingual manual guides you through the start-up phase with a clear step-by-step plan, so you know exactly how to best care for the colony and successfully build up the hobby.

We developed this set as part of our ‘Master Series’ – a high-quality line of ant farms with maximum durability and functionality. Because each nest is handmade, the color may vary slightly.

Specifications & Technical Data:

• Gypsum nest length: 15 cm
• Gypsum nest width: 10 cm
• Gypsum nest thickness: 3 cm (chamber depth 4–7 mm for optimal seed storage)
• Arena size: 15x10x9 cm
• Gypsum nest connections: 2 × 10 mm (easily expandable)
• Arena connections: 2 × 10 mm
• Number of chambers: 8
• Capacity: Suitable for a colony of up to ±200 ants
• Moisturization: Central moisture reservoir (effective for 1-2 weeks)
• Ventilation: Equipped with an escape-proof arena ventilation lid