Fun in the Field
After I spoke with you yesterday I headed out on kayak crew and we had a bit of an adventure! We decided to go ahead and try to cross the Pearl River with the kayaks because the water level is going down each day. It took a little extra skill but we managed to get to the opposite bank. Right away we found fresh wild pig tracks in the ankle deep mud. A few weeks ago the wildlife manager was charged by wild pigs, so we definitely checked the plot before getting to work. 
After we started the vegetation survey we heard some fast boats come by but didn't much of it until a boat pulled up and yelled for us. Somehow our kayaks had managed to wash out into the river in the wake of the boats and they had floated WAY down the river. Some nice fishermen and the loc
al wildlife manager rescued them for us and saved the day! Everyone around here is so nice!
Some of you have been asking about what we do in the field. Here are some pictures showing us hard at work. When we arrive at a site we set up a transect with flagging tape (10 meter diameter) and then take a GPS point so that we can record the location. The team splits up and identifies each species of plant and estimates the number of leaves on each plant. WHEW! That is a lot of work. We also search for caterpillars on each plant and then hold the beat sheet under each plant and whack it with a machete or stick to get the little guys out of th
e vegetation. 
Today I got to go out on kayak crew again and this time we got dropped off up river, worked two plots, and then floated down river two miles to get back to the bunkhouse. It was so awesome! Don't forget to check out the mystery caterpillar below! 
MYSTERY CATERPILLAR #4: Please ID with scientific name and write the answer in your response journal! Isn't he adorable?
posted by Ms. Ball @ 10:18 PM
7 Comments:
Ms. Ball,
Sorry to hear about your kayaks, but we are glad to hear you got them back. HOORAY! It sounds like it's really wet and gross and muddy down there am I right? Because it sure sounds that way. We are glad you are still having fun but we miss you!
1. Melinda wants to known if you had another encounter with the wild pig! How exciting!
Leslie and Melinda
Hi Ms. Ball,
That must have been a lot of work getting those kyaks back to shore. Our question for you is... why don't the wild pigs sink in the deep mud?
Erica, Katie, Courtney, and Jenny
Hi Ms. Ball. Amanda and I were wondering what is the type of symmetry in the section of adaptions and evolution. And also what the degree of cephalization is.
Thanks
Kelsey and Amanda
We hope no one lost their shoes in the mud! It sounds like you are doing a lot of kyaking and collecting. It sounds like you are having a lot of fun in the field!
Did you have to know how to kyak before the trip?
How many plants do you normally classify per plot?
-Elena and Jessica
Tori and Megan
What does the ugliest caterpillar you have caught look like?
And if you have an example of one, can you post a picture of it?
what is the purpose of estimating the leaves on a the plant?
~Cora
Thats really fascinating. The boat rides would have been lots of fun.
How did you know that the tracks were pig tracks? Does anyone there have swine flu?
Who provides the GPS?
-Adrian, Will, Ali,
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