Joey's notes
This week has had some seasonal storms, warm days, and cool nights.
Monday (4-29-02), With a few hours to spend, I headed out to the Saluda/Edgefield/Greenwood (tri-county) areas. In Saluda, I found several interesting sites that included abandoned farmhouses, dirt roads, and country churchyards. I succeeded in collecting Tiger Beetles (Cicindela sexguttata), and even caught a gravid Corn Snake (under debris, behind an old farmhouse). The Corn was released. Saluda County needs her and her offspring more than I. With my Saluda goals met, on to Edgefield county! I again went straight to the dirt roads (as shown on my maps), A single Tiger Beetle (C. sexguttata, for a new county record) and a big Clubtail Dragonfly were the only things of interest that I found and the only things I collected. In Greenwood county, I got a Clubtail Dragonfly. I saw, but missed a C. sexguttata. So? Just an excuse to return.
Tuesday (4-30-02), Work.
Wednesday (5-1-02), Work. We flipped our tin (on campus) and found a very small Southern Ringneck Snake. After work, I hit some local spots, flipped debris, and found a small Brown Snake.
Thursday (5-2-02), Work. Got a Female Cow-Killer (Velvet Ant) right outside my classroom.
After work/school, my son and I went to the pond. There, we enjoyed a great afternoon for Dragonflies. We saw: Green Darners, Comet Darners, Clubtails, Prince Baskettails, Whitetail Skimmers, Eastern Pondhawks, Twelve Spotted Skimmers, Eastern Amberwings, Corporal Skimmers, Blue Dashers, Carolina Saddlebags, and Black Saddlebags. I must say that I really enjoyed seeing the Comet Darner. That is a real "WOW!" species. We also got to see a mother Coot do the "broken-wing" trick, to lead us away from her brood.
Friday (5-3-02), Work. We again flipped our tin on campus. We also flipped some rocks. One student flipped a big flat rock and found a Smooth Earth Snake.
Saturday (5-4-02), Work, nothing interesting found or collected. After work, we went to see the new "Spiderman" movie. Pretty good.
Sunday (5-5-02), Mid-afternoon, I went to the pond for some Cricket Frogs. They were everywhere, but difficult to collect. I did get a baby Redbelly Watersnake. I went back after dark and got a good selection. Species? Northern and Southern Cricket frogs were both calling. I did not check those I collected (as feeder items).
During the week, I see a nice selection of Birds/Frogs/Toads/Lizards/Turtles/Butterflies/Beetles. I even collected a few Beetles, mostly Carabids, but nothing odd. I find this type stuff too often/too numerous to mention daily.
May is important to me. It means more herping at night, it means Mole Kingsnakes, and it means Stag Beetles. I hope to enjoy it fully!
Joey Holmes
|