I caught a queen on May 23rd last year and within a few months was up to almost 20 workers. I placed them in hibernation on November 1st until March 1st and they had a little bit of brood. I believe it was all larva, no pupae. A few weeks after taking them out of hibernation I moved them into a formicarium. Realistically too much space, but it wasn't huge. Since taking them out of hibernation I am losing about 1 worker a month and the brood isn't developing. I've seen a few of the workers foraging, so I don't think it's just too big of a space and they are starving, but I moved them back into a test tube a few days ago just to be safe.
Any idea why brood wouldn't develop for months and if there is anything I can do to help them get back on track?
I vaguely remember a thread from awhile ago about Camponotus being hard to raise and that they might need certain micro organisms in either wood or dirt to help them survive, so maybe I should set up a naturalistic set up? I just don't want to lose them.
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