Black Desert Harvester Ants (Veromessor pergandei)

General: Veromessor pergandei is a medium-large harvester ant from the deserts of the Southwest. Their workers range in size greatly and colonies get very large. They have a voracious appetite for seeds.

Diet: These ants love seeds, with insects being recommended weekly or twice weekly. Seeds like Kentucky Bluegrass and Dandelion work well for V. pergandei. Protein benefits queen health greatly!

Temperature: Keep these ants heated at around 78-85 degrees fahrenheit. Provide a gradient if you can, and keep in mind that these ants will not grow if they don’t have a heat source. Part of the nest should be cooler, for the eggs and larvae, and part should be warmer, for the pupae.

Diapause: Veromessor pergandei do not need to diapause. Although they can withstand low temperatures for some periods of time, it isn’t necessary.

Growth: Brood development takes 5-8 weeks. If you’re heating them and they’re well-fed, this will be closer to 5-6 weeks. Colonies get into the tens of thousands and can be in the thousands within a year or two!

Queen size: 10-11mm

Worker size: 4-8mm

If ants arrive in bad condition, contact us for help. Live arrival is guaranteed.