Octopus lairs!

Yesterday we were snorkeling on the quiet side of the island, finding nothing but seagrass beds.  We did see a few conch, and then Lorenzo noticed there were lobsters all around the edge of the grass, where it changed elevation.  The lower area was sandy, and as we were cruising around we started to see holes about a foot in diameter, widely separated from each other.  Around them were piles of empty shells, and some tiny fish.  


Inside each hole was a strange creature- an octopus!

Common octopuses, like other octopus species, discard the remains of their bivalve and crustacean prey just outside their lairs into piles called middens . These piles have proven useful to scientists to study the feeding habits of the common octopus. The piles also make it easier to spot an octopus lair and therefore perhaps an octopus.