"Wake up with the sun and howl at the moon."

Howdy yall! I've been away for a bit. Spent some time our research station up in the mountains hiking, getting a bit more familiar with herping, as well as collecting spiders and other arthropods. I had such an amazing time in the middle of the desert, away from civilization. With zero cell service. I really like going up there. I tend to appreciate the desert more and more. You look at all the adaptations and characteristics displayed by the plants and animals that make them suitable for surviving in the desert. It's beautiful. However, like any ecosystem the desert is pretty damn dangerous. So I'm presently working on identifying Araenea species in the Chihuahuan Desert, predominantly Western Texas. So I pretty much just catch spiders, take photos of them, document the particular location I found them as well as a description of them. Spiders.... who wants to do that. I'm not necessarily afraid of them, but they do creep me out. Observing the various patterns displayed on their legs an abdomen is pretty neat! Same with snakes! Very beautiful creatures. I hope one day I get to live everyday that way. Being one with nature. Waking up with the sun and howling at the moon. Have a great Monday!


Red Wasp Polistes carolina

Texas Brown Tarantula Aphonopelma hentzi
if I'm not mistaken.
We were discussing how these guys mate. Males have these things called pedipalps, (2nd pair of appendages near chelicerae) that they use to hold on to the female while depositing their sperm web into her. They have to hold the female so she doesn't bite him during this process. After he deposits his sperm web he skedaddles! Just runs away! Females are notorious for eating the males after mating. That seems to happen quite often in the animal world. Preying mantis females behead their mates after copulating. It's like most sex in animals is pretty much rape. Sometimes consensual. Hahahaha

Ringneck Diadophis punctatus
This little cuties seeping venom.