Holy Voley!!!!

Ft.McCoy April 2011

A few more friends from Ft. McCoy: Fisher, Deer, Turkey posing for the Camera, Coyote at the Valley

Ft.McCoy April 2011

Hello!
It was a bit cold at Ft. McCoy this weekend with temps mostly in the 30s. We got lots of work done (including moving one of our pitfall arrays) and are ready to run the traps in a couple weeks. Despite 34degree morning with 15-20mph wind, the adults were out questing. We were able to drag approx 50 individuals (all 3 arrays total). Not bad for our first trip. Also, here are a few photos caught by the cameras from winter.....

Nymphal blacklegged tick on a Tennessee skink

April at AEDC

I. scapularis nymphs were on a couple of mice; young-of-the-year mouselettes were tumbling into the pitfalls; meanwhile their Moms are in nests under the coverboards, pregnant with their second litters.

Herps at Tall Timbers Research Station

Green Anole (Anolis carolinensis): Southern Spring Peeper (Pseudacris crucifer):

Tree frog (Hyla sp.):

(Images by Eric)

We came, we saw, we conquered! Part I

On this third scouting expedition to Tall Timbers Research Station (TTRS), the herp experts (Russ and Kaety) helped Isis, Gena, and me hone in on locations for our three grids. In total, we spent 2.5 days scouting, and 1.5 days laying grids. We collected our first standardized questing tick datapoint, and we got leaf-litter hobos in as well so that we can begin collecting that pertinent data. In addition to the science, we met several fantastic staff at TTRS with whom we'll be working. We also met fun folks at The Den, where Gena will be lodging once she gets here.


The gang!
























The Den (a.k.a. Gena's new home)



Isis working at the all-purpose table....Houston.... (a.k.a. Graham) - help me with a license # to activate these dataloggers!!!!!









What awesome gear!





















Hobos are installed!













Done!
Dinner!
Yummmm....the sweet taste of a job well done!

High Ixodes densities at Tall Timbers, FL

Three sites dragged at Tall Timbers, FL, this week had very high densities of adult Ixodes spp. ticks - 26, 32 and 39 adults per 1000m dragged, respectively. These spring counts are higher than at any of our other sites.

Vial containing 35 adults collected during a single 400m drag at the Woodyard site.

Tick-rearing

Engorged females that we collected from deer at fall-hunt check stations, and held at room temperature, produced eggs in late December/January. Those eggs are now hatching ....

Mid-January snow at AEDC ... and Rick's truck woes.