ANTSTORE World of Ants

[tomorrownight]

I've had a Camponotus herculeanus [C.H.] colony of a queen and about 10 workers for about 6 months now. Over winter, naturally they´ve been very dosy and keeping themselves to themselves and only occasionally moving the colony depending on humidity. They´ve had a cluster of eggs (possibly larvae, its difficult to tell) for most of the time I've had them and there is one of the workers who is always busy bodying around and is the one who goes foraging most of the time, the other sit next to the queen preening all day or sleeping. Just lately they've started to bring out dead ones and they've never hatched anything off. I've looked under a microscope and there doesnt appear anything wrong with the ones that have died.

I had this with a Messor arenarius ratus [messor areneaus ratus] a year or two back. A dozen workers, sit for 6 - 9 months caring for brood. then just slowly die off for no reason until eventually the queen dies. Does anyone know why this is? The active worker often brings back food, theres ample water supply and the temperature is never very low (between 18°C and 28°C). I do not understand

[Edit:Mod]

[Seph0n]

Do you provide honey?

[tomorrownight]

Yes i had been and they had been eating it, but just no growth or vigour. As of writting this, the queen has died and there are a few workers left but they are doing that sad thing where the workers just sit and wait to die

[CROant]

Low humidity in nest and no air circulation.