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[Antsinmycloset]

I caught three Formica queens last year, all the same date and (seemingly) species. Nanitics eclosed last fall, hibernation came and went, and they fairly quickly laid a second batch of eggs. All three colonies had roughly the same worker count, brood pile, conditions and care, ect at this point.

Two of my colonies have a had second batch of eggs, with pupae that should be eclosing any day now, and are generally doing great. The third colony still has a pile of eggs. It's been about five weeks and, as far as I can tell, none have even yet hatched into larvae. I've been providing fresh sugar water and protein on the same schedule as the other two colonies, so it's not as if I've been neglecting them in particular.

Anyone have any idea what could be the problem? She raised her nanitics fine, so it's not like she's sterile. I doubt there's anything I can do for her, but I'm really confused on what could be causing this. That colony has always been a more calm than the other two, but that's the only difference I've noticed.

[YsTheAnt]

Heat them up. Cooler ants will be more "chill", moving slower. Their brood will also develop slower. Uneven heating might be the problem, that colony might be less warm if you are already heating them, hence the more calm behavior.