Nanitics died

[Serpentine]

Hi! I have a Camponotus Pennsylvania queen and the first 2 nanitics hatched out. I didn't see any other pupae ready to hatch out but I'd always heard to wait until the queen had 12 or so workers before introducing a new setup. Then I noticed the nanitics pulling on the cotton, which I read was a sign they wanted to get out, and the next day when I attempted to connect them to my AntsCanada formicarium, the 2 workers had died. Anyone else have this experience. Did they starve that quickly? Or choke on the cotton? I thought the queen would be able to feed them in the beginning.

[AntsLuxembourg]

Hello there,

Usually the queen feeds the brute. However when you have workers / nanitics you may want to give them a small drop of honey so they don't starve. But it is very unusual that the nanitics just died. Choking on the cotton is not very plausible in my mind. Maybe a lack of food. Try offering a drop of honey and see if the queen takes it. If yes it means they might have starved. If not then it might just have been bad luck. :/

[Serpentine]

Thank you for your thoughts!