Day 17 - Perplexingly ant-less

(posted by Stinkographer 1)

It just doesn't make sense! Why did the ants leave???

I inspected the plate very closely today, which was a real challenge because it is smelling incredibly raunchy. Although there were several ant carcasses scattered randomly throughout the plate, I spotted not one live ant on the meat. In fact, ant activity around the plate has seemed to have died down as well. There are not nearly as many as yesterday. Very odd...

An eye-level view. The meat is getting increasingly two-dimensional.

So far, we have made two conclusions. First, the ants' disappearance is in no way related to the temperature. Today was significantly milder than yesterday, pretty much the same as all the other days the meat has been outside... and the ants were always present and accounted for on those days. Second, there is almost definitely a correlation between the ants' presence and how badly the meat smells. Maybe the ants were somehow responsible for quelling the foul stench. On the other hand, maybe the return of the foul stench is what forced the ants to evacuate.

It's hard to see in this photo, but amongst the layers of cat food walks a large beetle. This is the first living thing we've seen on the plate other than ants since the brief "pork worm" sighting on dissection day. For the duration of my visit, this little guy was leisurely strolling around the plate without a care in the world. And he was not alone.

Here we can see another beetle making himself at home on the giblet sack's perimeter, slightly left of center.

So we have beetles. And we have stinkiness. I guess that's something.

And now, for some bad news: Stinkographer 2 and I are headed up to New Hampshire tomorrow for a fun day of hiking, rock climbing, and marauding. We'll be spending the night at the Loj, the Tufts Mountain Club's personal sanctuary, which is awesome in every way except that it does not have internet access. Unfortunately that means we'll be out of touch for a day, and also that the meat will not get photographed. Rest assured, however, that we shall return to Tufts Sunday night and at that time post our findings as soon as possible.

I must admit, I'm looking forward to seeing the effects of Stinkymeat withdrawal on Stinkographer 2, who will have gone three whole days without getting a whiff of the odor we are now so accustomed to...

Continue to Day 19