Finally... A Snake!

Well today was such a fun day because I finally got to see my students today and talk to them for 40 minutes and share my experience with them more personally! Using their questions (which I was thrilled that they took so seriously) I was able to be sure to answer what they wanted to know and was thrilled that they had such wonderful questions while I was talking to them. I'm thrilled that I was able to more fully share this experience with them and I think that they could really see the excitement I am experiencing... I only wish they were hiking through the woods with me to fully experience it!

I finally saw a snake today as we were about to head into the swamp for another plot this afternoon, but thankfully it was a baby and too small to do any damage but it made me think that there has to be a mama or papa snake around which had me looking and stomping that much more on our way toward the plot!

I have to say that completing the plots is definitely getting easier, which makes it more enjoyable. I found some great caterpillars today and look forward to processing them tomorrow morning to find out their names because one I have not seen before! Afterwards we are headed back into New Orleans where we are going to meet up with Dr. Dyer and have him discuss his research even more which should be extremely interesting. Afterwards we are off for the evening to enjoy Halloween New Orleans style... this should be interesting with all of the vampire and voodoo stories that run rampart around here! If I see any interesting costumes I will be sure to share! Have a happy and safe Halloween everyone!

 

Today was a fabulous day on the Pearl River! After working in the lab and assisting some of the other teaching fellows in the morning I headed out on kayak with our fearless leader Mike and one of the other fellows, Tony! When we arrived at our plot location we noticed a fresh alligator slide going into the water... I guess that is better that he is in the water and not up on the land where we were headed! 

After almost losing my flip flops that I was kayaking in I put on my Snake Boots and headed into the forest! Thank goodness for Mike and his machete!!! Some of that brush was thick but it was more amazing to see other parts of the forest completely destroyed still from Katrina. The Pearl River Wildlife Management Area is located in Slidell, LA which was one of the hardest hit areas when Katrina came ashore. In fact there was a thirty-foot storm surge at the base of the river and travelled up the Pearl River destroying much of the natural wildlife as well as local fish houses (see above). 

It was good to see that plants were coming back (slowly) and that new fishing houses were being built, but it makes me wonder if they consider the strong possibility that storms of Katrina's magnitude could possibly become more frequent causing more damage to their livelihood and local ecology. Many of the people in Slidell rely on hunting not simply for pleasure but also for food, especially when times are tough and businesses are not coming back as quickly as they assumed they would after Katrina. Perhaps with better public awareness and policy to protect both the people and the land, improvements can be made and the devastation and the lives lost will not be repeated!

I look forward to seeing you all tomorrow!

Lab Time!

Today had a great beginning because I had the opportunity to work in our makeshift lab here at the bunkhouse to catalogue (listing number of specimens in each bag, type of plant they were found on and eating, taking pictures of them, noting any parasitism activity, and listing life stage) as well caring for them (cleaning the frass, ensuring that the caterpillars have enough food and moisture). It was amazing to see some of the varieties that we found and I'm sure that we will find even more by the end of the expedition and I can't wait to share them with you tomorrow. I even got to give nicknames to the caterpillars we couldn't identify without further research!

After lunch I then was able to

 go back out into the swamp in order to research another plot and bring back more specimens to study. In order to get there we had to walk through some deep swamp water and I am happy to report that I did not see any water moccasins or alligators! 

Tomorrow is going to be an exciting day because I will be going out into the swamp via kayak in order to get to a research plot that is inaccessible by car, so I'm sure that we are going to see a large and diverse ecosystem that has been relatively untouched by humans! Keep your fingers crossed that I don't run into any snakes or alligators then... I hope to see all of you on Thursday afternoon in one piece! I'm looking forward to your comments tomorrow when you are at the library and I am even more excited to see you on Thursday!

Challenge Question:

How do caterpillars adapt to their environments and protect themselves from predators as well as parasitoids? Research this and tell me your favorite one!

 

Our First Hunt!

After helping making lunch and before our first hunt I got a chance to walk around our surrounding swamp land and got a few great pictures that I think are so indicative of the wonderful and rich ecology that LA has to offer! 

We then got to get ready and head into the Honey Island Swamp in order to hunt for caterpillars! We were lucky because we found other friends to study as well... but not too closely. We began finding our furry friends right away and I learned how to "beat" them ou

r of the tree and find them, and "bag" them in order to bring them back to the bunkhouse where we will be caring for, studying, and cataloging all of the specimens we collect!

   

Once we start cataloging I will have some amazing pictures and the stories behind these amazing specimens that can potentially do so much good for our agricultural advancement! 

Stay tuned... 

Challenge Question:

How are caterpillars similar to insects and how do they differ? What in the environment do scientists theorize has influenced the evolution of insects over the past 300 million years? Read this article for a hint http://harvardmagazine.com/2007/11/dragonfly.html  

We're Here!

We have arrived at the bunk house tonight (12:45 am our time 1:45 am your time... don't forget LA is on Central Time)! We met up with the EarthWatch team at 4:00 and got to know each other and learned more about the project and what to expect over the next few days. We went to an AMAZING Tunisian restaurant which was so delicious and will be hard to replicate over the next few days here in the bunk house! I will be posting pictures tomorrow of the bunk house and the area outside as well... Keep You Posted!!!

Challenge Question: Approximately how many degrees of longitude are NY

 & LA? The hint is in the paragraph above!

Our bunk house... after one night of sleep! We need to make our beds I think!

6:30 am (our time) and we are already hard at work!

Getting Ready

WOW!!! I can't believe that I head off to New Orleans to meet the rest of the team in only two days, however I have mixed feelings... I'm excited to embark on a new adventure where I know that I will have the opportunity to learn and share so much, but on the other hand I will miss seeing my students each day, especially after today's shared experience of Rachel's Challenge!

Today's program was a strong reminder that we need to appreciate those in our life and that small things really make a difference. I had the rare opportunity to share something so powerful and uplifting that I am positive that it will have a positive influence in everyone's lives and that Rachel's death will not be in vain. I am fortunate to have such wonderful classes and supportive colleagues and administrators that it makes me proud to be a teacher in East Meadow! Together we will continue the chain of kindness with each smile and encouraging word that will continue long after this day!

I have to say that I feel very fortunate to be able to share this exciting experience with my students and that I only wish that they could be coming with me to share each new experience! I am a bit worried about the potential hazards I will surely encounter such as alligators, water moccasins, chiggers, stinging caterpillars, and many more interesting wildlife! I do hope to have some real Cajun cooking and when in New Orleans I want to tour around the devastation that Katrina left in its wake so that I can once again share how fortunate we all are, how thankful we should feel, and look together for ways to reach out to others in need.

Tomorrow I will finally pack and am confident that this expedition will lead to a great opportunity for me to reach my students in another way and to perhaps inspire them to follow their dreams, reach for the stars and achieve their goals!