THE ANT COLLECTORS COINCIDENCE

When my late elder brother, Bernard,  was about 13 in1935 (I was then 8) we all went for a holiday in Switzerland, and we stayed at Hotel Eden in ZURICH.  I remember Bernard was always searching for ants. 

He had some glass topped boxes of ants at home, housed in a huge old wardrobe in his room.
I think it all started when a school friend of his; Derek Wragge Morley, started telling him about the many types there were all over the world.
Derek had asked Bernard to try and find one particular ant which was supposed to live in Switzerland.
When our father took us to the Zurich Botanical Gardens, the fun started.  Ber turned nearly every stone in the place to find this elusive Swiss ant !
He was convinced he had found one and soon had it captured in a matchbox-like temporary home, (which he took everywhere with him).

Since it was 71 years ago, I really do not recall the outcome of our Swiss visit or the ant in question.
However, Ber kept his 'pet' ants for many years and always retained an interest.
Our father encouraged him, because Derek's father was a clergyman in the south of England and Dad thought it might influence Ber to become a medical missionary, like himself and his father before him !

I have always been interested in insects and so has my wife, Shirley.
Years ago when we were grounded because of bad weather at Tunis Airport, Shirley managed to get over half the stranded passengers on their hands and knees, watching the strange antics of dozens of ants which were all over the floor of the departure lounge !

Over the years we have often talked about Ber and Derek and the ants.
A few years back we went to a secondhand book sale in Toowoomba - the very first book I picked up was a Penguin book about ants - the author was Derek Wragge Morley !