He hadn't noticed, but she was carrying her egg case, holding onto it even as she scrabbled frantically at the sides of the bottle. It was all too much for her, though; I was busy, and by the time I'd got around to releasing her, she was in such a panic that she dashed for freedom, leaving her family behind.
Sorry, little mother. Better luck next time!
A sad story, but such an incredible picture! Maybe she'll feel better knowing she contributed to a work of art? (Or, who knows, maybe she was tired of investing so much energy in young anyway. Maybe she was looking for an excuse.)
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry she lost her egg case, after all that. But I'm glad you were able to get such an amazing photo of her!
ReplyDeleteI'm curious whether the eggs will still hatch without the mother. I suspect the only benefit the maternal care provided was protection against predation.
ReplyDeleteTim, that's a good question. I noticed today that her eggs were still where I left them, beside the crack she disappeared into. So I just went out and put them into a container with a tight lid. Maybe they'll hatch; we'll see.
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