Workers Suddenly Died?

[Swirlby]

My Camponotus Nearcticus colony has lost three workers in the past three days, and is now down to one worker. I only noticed today when I went to feed them. What happened? This colony was doing very well for a while, but now it's suddenly dying off.

[SolenopsisKeeper]

My Camponotus Nearcticus colony has lost three workers in the past three days, and is now down to one worker. I only noticed today when I went to feed them. What happened? This colony was doing very well for a while, but now it's suddenly dying off.

Can you link a picture.? Brood count?

[Swirlby]

Sorry I couldn't post more information earlier. I had to leave for work right after I fed them. Here's a picture:

https://i.imgur.com/y6tC3jx.jpg

The queen and the single worker directly in front of her are the only living ants in the tube. The rest have died. It looks like they've designated the center of the tube with the loose cotton as the garbage area. Two cricket leg exoskeletons that I've fed them are in there, plus all the discarded cocoons. The only brood I can see is a single egg towards the front of the tube. The colony had more brood when there were more workers. They had four workers and I think about two or three more workers on the way, but nothing except that egg now.

[SolenopsisKeeper]

Sorry I couldn't post more information earlier. I had to leave for work right after I fed them. Here's a picture:

https://i.imgur.com/y6tC3jx.jpg

The queen and the single worker directly in front of her are the only living ants in the tube. The rest have died. It looks like they've designated the center of the tube with the loose cotton as the garbage area. Two cricket leg exoskeletons that I've fed them are in there, plus all the discarded cocoons. The only brood I can see is a single egg towards the front of the tube. The colony had more brood when there were more workers. They had four workers and I think about two or three more workers on the way, but nothing except that egg now.

Try feeding them directly in the tube and removing all trash. Try anything they will eat from sugar water to eggs on a tinfoil dish.

[Swirlby]

Try feeding them directly in the tube and removing all trash. Try anything they will eat from sugar water to eggs on a tinfoil dish.

A quick update. My other colony of the same species that had one worker is now down to just the queen. She has no brood and is attempting to escape, even after I fed her. I guess I need to put her in a new tube and start from scratch.

Should I attempt to get the colony that still has a worker to migrate into a new tube as well?

[SolenopsisKeeper]

Try feeding them directly in the tube and removing all trash. Try anything they will eat from sugar water to eggs on a tinfoil dish.

A quick update. My other colony of the same species that had one worker is now down to just the queen. She has no brood and is attempting to escape, even after I fed her. I guess I need to put her in a new tube and start from scratch.

Should I attempt to get the colony that still has a worker to migrate into a new tube as well?

Yes. Move them both into a new tube, starting from scratch. It is possible to raise a second gen of brood with just a queen

[Swirlby]

Yes. Move them both into a new tube, starting from scratch. It is possible to raise a second gen of brood with just a queen

Not just a queen. One of the colonies still has a worker.

[SolenopsisKeeper]

Yes. Move them both into a new tube, starting from scratch. It is possible to raise a second gen of brood with just a queen

Not just a queen. One of the colonies still has a worker.

Even better, and more likely