ants and fins

Yesterday I found the ants had set up housekeeping inside my mailbox. I went to get the mail, and there was a lumpy pale mass with black moving specks in the rear corner. It took me a minute to realize what it was- the ants had piled all their larvae back there. I guess because it was dry? It was a perfect opportunity for fish treats- I simply scooped out the larvae with a spatula into a container, and then plucked out the ants as they scurried around. It only needed one rinse, there was hardly any dirt. I checked this morning- my interference has deterred them; no ants returned. I hope they remember the devastation of loosing all their offspring and stay away from my mailbox!

So I fed ant eggs to my fishes this morning. Perry was very excited, giving little wiggles of his tail after each bite, and opening his ventral fins alertly- usually these are folded against the belly. Then I saw that the missing one appears to be growing back! You can barely see it here (to the right of the orange one)- yes it is regenerating. Very glad.