Hello! Welcome to my blog. Please join me on my expedition!

Monday, November 3, 2008

Last Day in the Field

Our Last Day Hunting for Caterpillars

Today was our last day in the field. We definitely went out with a bang with an adventurous journey into the forest. First we had to cross on a log over a creek. We were about 10 feet up above the water and had to cross about 30 feet to the other side of the creek. Take a look at the videos!

Watch the video to see if I make it across.

video

Finding a caterpillar Leaf Estimation (Herbivory)
Starring Mr. Novelli
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Take a look at how dark it was on our way back to the car. We had to cross over the log with barely any light.

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More Videos to come when I get back.

posted by Ms. Espro @ 10:03 PM 2 Comments

Sunday, November 2, 2008

Experiencing New Orleans

Park View Guest House
(Unfortunately we did not run into any unexpeced guests)
We all stayed in the town of New Orleans for the weekend and experienced the wonderful New Orleans culture.
Halloween Night
As soon as we stepped off of the Street Car we heard the awesome sounds of a Brass Band. Take a listen!
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posted by Ms. Espro @ 10:12 PM 0 Comments

Friday, October 31, 2008

Working in the Lab

Lab Work

There are many jobs during lab work.

First we check the caterpillars in by:
1) Identifying the
2) Identifying the host plant (the plant they eat)
3) Identifying the life stage
4) Giving the caterpillar a number
5) Entering all of the data of the of the caterpillar

6) Photographing the caterpillar

Next we make sure they have enough food and then hang the bag on the rearing rack.

Zoo is another job in which we clean out the bag the caterpillar is in. We also check to see if the life stage of the caterpillar has changed or if it had been parasitized (when wasps or flies lay eggs in the caterpillars and then emerge out of the caterpillar.)

Leaf measurement is a third job. We will measure the area of each type of host plant (10 measurements of each type of host plant).

Data base- The photographs are put into groups of caterpillars by number.

We will spend 1/2 the day doing lab work and the other half out in the field.



This is called a Limacodidae caterpillar.


Lab work at the bunkhouse.

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posted by Ms. Espro @ 7:40 PM 2 Comments

Bonus Question...

Happy Halloween!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
We will all be going back into the town of New Orleans tonight for Halloween. We are staying at a very interesting place where there are some unexpected guests. Ghost Hunters will be going back in January to film this hotel. What is different and spooky about this hotel? Since it's Halloween we may run into these unexpected guests...
To be continued...

posted by Ms. Espro @ 12:35 AM 4 Comments

Challenge question...


1.Why did we have to take a Kayak?
2. Why do you think we didn't find any caterpillars? Explain.

posted by Ms. Espro @ 12:28 AM 9 Comments

Thursday, October 30, 2008

Day 4- Kayaking


Here are some videos of our field work today. We drove to Mississippi, launched our kayaks into the Pearl River and Kayaked a few miles to the woods. Mississippi was on one side of the river and Louisiana was on the other side of the river. It was an experience today!

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A bump in the road (water)
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Cutting our way through the woods.
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No Caterpillars
video

posted by Ms. Espro @ 10:15 PM 2 Comments

What I have encountered so far...

Thank you all for leaving great questions and comments. So far we found over 300 caterpillars since Monday. Some types of caterpillars that we found are Fall Webworms, Purple Crusted Slug, and Saddle back. The only poisonous caterpillar that we found is the Purple crusted slug. Caterpillars are herbivores, they only eat plants. Some plants that they eat are ferns, Holly, Sweet Gum, and Maple.
I think that the most dangerous thing that I have experienced was when we went to plot in the woods, it is hunting season, so their were hunters in the woods. I was a little nervous but we all had out bright orange vests on!

posted by Ms. Espro @ 9:42 PM 2 Comments