I’m writing this in hopes that someone has seen something similar. I recently received two Camponotus nearcticus queens. They both arrived healthy and looking good, and each had some cocoons, larvae and eggs. When I went to label the test tubes yesterday, I noticed one that looked almost dead. She was barely moving. Closer inspection showed what looked like an egg stuck to several of the cocoons, but it was still attached to the queen internally. It appeared that a strand of something continued from the pile of cocoons, which now all looked damaged, into the queens gaster. Sort of like an umbilical cord to a placenta before the placenta is delivered. I was able to cut the strand and separate her from the mass, but she succumbed overnight.
Has anyone experienced anything similar to this in the past. I’m looking to learn and maybe take something out of this.
I was able to rescue several larvae and eggs and give them to the other queen. She readily accepted them, so that’s some good news. Unfortunately I was too busy trying to figure out what was going on and didn’t take any pictures.
