Worker ants dying?

[Weaver]

Hi all!
So i put 3 colonies of ants in a new setup(each colony had its own set up no worries i dont mix ants). I put there original test tube in a tubber ware container with a new test tube. I did this hoping they would move to my AC test tubes since the tubes they came in were bulky and didnt fit into anything i had to make a smooth transition.

After a week of putting them in this set up (i attached photo's) i checked on them and in one colony a worker ant ventured off into the tubber ware and died.

One of the other colonies (which i think is my strongest colony at the moment) carpenter ants. A worker had aswell ventured out and was injured or in distress.Let me add as well that all three colonies seemed sluggish, but that's kinda normal in this time of year.

I panicked i helped out the distressed ant and put all 3 colonies back in there original test tubes.

Now. Why did this happen? I only came up with three theory's, one being i didnt make enough breathing holes for air to get in. Slowly but surely suffocating? I only thought this because one there sluggish, two when i opened them up they kinda stunk. Ofcourse there gonna stink but the stink was comming from the dead meal worm i put in there that no one even bothered to look at but also my (just in case) ant barrier still had a stong smell. (Baby powder and rubbing alcohol) So did i hurt them with fumes?

My other theory is that maybe the ants simply couldnt climb back into the test tube. I will admit there was a tad bit of a gap from the ground of the tubberware and to the odd test tubes they came in, but when i say a gap were talkin maybe a centimeter?

Or my last theory, is that i messed up again (i recently made a mess up with another colony of ants which are not part of this incident and proud to say there doing great!) But did i just move 3 colonies too soon?! My lord ants are super sensitive if this is the case. I watch AntsCanada most likely stress his ants out more then i do, after my first big mess up ive became pretty good about being careful and giving them there space.

**WORKING ON ADDING PHOTO'S, SAYS THE FILES ARE TOO BIG**

[Weaver]

Here are pics of the set ups they were having issues in. This is after the fact. I took them out and put back in the original test tubes. The pic of all the test tubes you can see the over sized tubes that made a gap in the tubber ware where i said they might of got stuck and couldnt get back in? Idk

[Weaver]

Here's a photo of my Camponotus pennsylvanicus colony. See the ant in the very front. (Hard to see bad pic quality i know) but its still alive just lays there twitching like it got stepped on... It didnt get stepped on.

[AntsLuxembourg]

Hey I had a quick look. There could be a couple theories. First, the holes on that one picture should be more than enough. Second did you clean out the tuperware before usage? If not you should wash them out first and use enough clean water after the use of soaps or detergent to make sure they are ride of any remaining soap layers remaining behind that might harm them or produce fumes. Third for how long did you leave the mealworm in? I do sometimes put in a mealworm and kinda forget about it for a week but it never really stinks.
Third the rubbing alcohol might have made them a bit dizzy so you could try to air their setup a bit or just keep them in their testtube. I guess they will be much happier if the testtube is actually closed with cotton.

[Weaver]

I probably left the meal worm in there for afew days. I didnt clean the tuber ware after buying it, and yeah i think the rubbing alcohol may have played a part. Im guessing i either need to mix it better or find a better bottle of rubbing alcohol. Idk if they differ or not. Ill look into it.

[AntsLuxembourg]

I don't think that the alcohol will differ much as it is supposed to be basically the same quality. Maybe from different sources but the %age of the alcohol will be the same no matter what.
What I could sugguest instead of rubbing alcohol and baby powder would by a fluon barrier. It's, I think, liquid teflon. Coating the walls will keep them from leaving and when it's dry it will definetly not release any fumes. I am not an expert tho. I did however notice that even if you brush slightly against it or spray a bit of water on it will not just crumble away.