Morning came quickly and several of us met randomly in the lobby for the continental breakfast. Again, some short goodbyes as we checked our watches for the correct time. Suoko was the first to leave around 6:30 am for a long flight back to Japan. Then Judy and Kathy left together. Judy to fly directly back and Kathy was renting a car to drive to Alberqueque, NM to meet her husband for another week's vacation. John, Judy, and I took the airport shuttle together. Jared, Junko, and Natalie were staying an additonal day and Tombstone was on their list of places to go for fun and excitement. I was not sure of the remainder of our team's departures for the day.
I was definitely ready for the long flight today because I knew it would bring me home. There were so many things to share about this expediton as my family was left without the use of a computer because I brought our only working computer with me to blog. So all of these words you have faithfully read during these past 10 days have gone unread in the Stockton household. I wonder if they would prefer to just read my blog or have me tell the multitude of stories in person. Ah, I know their preference would be to read it! Thankfully, my brother, Glenn, was able to repair Gary's computer towards the end of my venture. I actually received an email from Gary on Thursday with the good news that his computer was up and running.
Some of the last words of wisdom during this expedition were from John in the airport. He said the daily devotional for this day was "Let me see".....Yes, all of us on Team #4 of Caterpillars and Climate Change have been awakened in our vision of the world around us. Our eyes see the many wonders just waiting for us in the shrubs, bushes, and trees. To know a caterpillar is to know its host plant. And to know its host plant is to know the various other creatures that inhabitat it.
We are forever grateful for the many experts who took the time to teach us about the wonderful world of caterpillars:
Dr. Lee Dyer, Dr. Mike Singer, Angela Smilanich, Dr. Dave Wagner "Wags", Ryan Wagner, Mike Thomas, Peri Mason, Tim Farkas.
Monday, August 17, 2009
Thursday, August 13, 2009
Day 9 August 13, 2009
Today was our last day of work at the research station. There were many loose ends to take care of: photography of the last of our specimens, entering data, finish dissecting, completing "zoo" (empty fras, remove pupae, remove parasitoids, and feed with host plants), pack up equipment, and clean our labs for the next group of researchers.
I completed 2 tasks: dissection and zoo. Lee thought zoo would go quickly because we only needed to empty fras and pupae, but he underestimated the number of cats. that pupated. We had to remove them and write their specimen number and date on a separate baggie and hang in a different section. Most of the cats. were given a hefty amount of food yesterday, so most did not require more food. Junko and Suoko are considered the "experts" on fras and pupae!!! They are very dedicated and diligent in their tasks. And they only talk when necessary.
We rotated the dissection between Jared, Jenny, Judy, and myself. I continued to have poor results in findings any beads. Angela said she did not find any additional beads when she double-checked my dissections. This gave me more confidence, but also gave me concerns that her research would be impaired. However, she said this is not an issue because having a greater number of specimens in the data set will provide positive results. I am curious as to the data results and hope we will be able to obtain access to her published research.
On an interesting note, I believe she has 2 published research documents. I am going to contact her to get the information on how I can access this information. Knowing a real researcher makes reading it that much more interesting. Just like reading my blog, you are in touch with a "researcher" like me conducting real research.
Back to the "zoo"...I felt great anxiety the more bags I opened and discovered more pupae. So I alerted Angela and when Lee came into the lab, he said he would get more people to assist. So we ended up having 5 people checking bags, I organized the bags by specimen number and distributed the bags as team members handed me their inspected bags. Once you finish with a bag, you have to blow air into the bag so when the pupae develops into it' final stage (moth or butterfly) it has the space to move around. This also decreases the risk of getting smashed while hanging on the racks in the zoo.
I also completed 2 dissections during this time. Unfortunately, I did not find one bead and Angela concurred with me. Jared and Jenny had success and found several in their specimens. We now consider Jenny the expert dissecter because she is very focused, efficient, and neat in her dissection techniques. I have learned much from her acquaintance this week and am ever grateful!
In the lab next door, the rest of our team worked on taking the remaining photos of the cats. John is considered the resident expert in photography. He is very modest and does not take credit where it is certainly due. Entering the final data of this expedition includes documenting pupae, "dead" cats., and parasitoids discovered. The equipment that Lee brought with him also required packing. So as members completed their specific tasks, they joined in the packing and cleaning up of the lab. Kathy assisted Dave Wagner (fondly called "Wags") with identification of his specimens and helped pack them for the return to CT. Miraculously, we all finished just in time to hear the noon lunch bell!
Lee informed us that we would leave the research station promptly at 1:30. Those of us with laptops worked on email and blogging until he announced early that we would leave now: 1:10 pm. So as the "ever ready and prepared troopers" that we are, we quickly shutdown our laptops and gathered our packs to load up in the van.
As we drove away, I began reflecting on my learning experiences and wondered if I would see SWRS again in my future. I learned that if you volunteer to work 24 hours in a week, you receive room and board, and when not "working", you can join in research projects occurring at SWRS. This is open to university students, but I'm not sure if educators are eligible.
We were only about 15-20 miles down the road from SWRS when I felt my cell phone vibrate. It was actually receiving a signal in the middle of the desert. I was able to listen to half of a message when the signal was lost. I checked my phone in a few seconds and saw it was receiving a signal again, so I called my husband, John, and he answered! I had not spoken to him since August 6th so this was quite a treat! Again, I lost the signal a few minutes later. Our drive to Tucson was about 3 hours and I knew I'd call him when we arrived.
We reached the LaQuinta Inn and Suites near the airport around 5:00 pm. Lee allowed us one hour to get settled in and we would meet at 6:00 pm to go to the restaurant, Mi Nidito. This became famous when President Bill Clinton dined there on February 25, 1999. They do not accept reservations, so when we arrived the wait for about one hour. I took this opportunity to call John again. This conversation really made me feel homesick and I knew it was time to go home.
The restaurant was very accommodating and we were seated in close proximity, but in one large group and 2 booths. The meal was very good. Mexican food is loved by everyone in my family and I enjoy eating their less spicey foods. Today is Suoko's birthday! We had a special dessert requested for her and she was very delighted by this. As usual, I took pictures of her smiling and enjoying this treat.
We we arrived back at the hotel, I did not have to repack for the airplane because I spent the time wisely from 5 - 6 pm and rearranged my baggage. The backpack and Camelbak (water bottle backpack) had to go into my large luggage. I'm glad I didn't have to repack after dinner because I, along with everyone, was very tired.
Lee met with us for the last time after dinner and gave a very brief description of what we accomplished this week. He said we collected approximately 12 new species for his research. His data would be compiled and available on his website at a future date. He explained that if we wanted to sign up for his other sites, we would have to pay for the expedition. When you receive a fellowship, you cannot request a project or professor. So if I choose to go to Costa Rica or Equador, I'll have to pay for my expedition. I actually would really enjoy Costa Rica from the details he has provided this week. The climate is about the same year round and not as hot or humid as Florida. Time will only tell what activities I engage in for my future.
Most of us said our "goodbyes and goodnights" in case we missed each other during the continental breakfast. Some of us had airplane departures about the same time, so we made arrangements to meet in the morning for a quick breakfast and airport shuttle ride. Sometimes goodbyes can be sad, but I was ready to return to home and to my new position at Westgate as a 5th grade science teacher. With all of my newfound knowledge and ideas spinning in my head, I was anxious to return and get started on a new school year!
[This post was completed 3 days after my return. The Dallas airport wireless connection was not cooperative. I spent most of my weekend catching up on household duties and spending time with family]
I completed 2 tasks: dissection and zoo. Lee thought zoo would go quickly because we only needed to empty fras and pupae, but he underestimated the number of cats. that pupated. We had to remove them and write their specimen number and date on a separate baggie and hang in a different section. Most of the cats. were given a hefty amount of food yesterday, so most did not require more food. Junko and Suoko are considered the "experts" on fras and pupae!!! They are very dedicated and diligent in their tasks. And they only talk when necessary.
We rotated the dissection between Jared, Jenny, Judy, and myself. I continued to have poor results in findings any beads. Angela said she did not find any additional beads when she double-checked my dissections. This gave me more confidence, but also gave me concerns that her research would be impaired. However, she said this is not an issue because having a greater number of specimens in the data set will provide positive results. I am curious as to the data results and hope we will be able to obtain access to her published research.
On an interesting note, I believe she has 2 published research documents. I am going to contact her to get the information on how I can access this information. Knowing a real researcher makes reading it that much more interesting. Just like reading my blog, you are in touch with a "researcher" like me conducting real research.
Back to the "zoo"...I felt great anxiety the more bags I opened and discovered more pupae. So I alerted Angela and when Lee came into the lab, he said he would get more people to assist. So we ended up having 5 people checking bags, I organized the bags by specimen number and distributed the bags as team members handed me their inspected bags. Once you finish with a bag, you have to blow air into the bag so when the pupae develops into it' final stage (moth or butterfly) it has the space to move around. This also decreases the risk of getting smashed while hanging on the racks in the zoo.
I also completed 2 dissections during this time. Unfortunately, I did not find one bead and Angela concurred with me. Jared and Jenny had success and found several in their specimens. We now consider Jenny the expert dissecter because she is very focused, efficient, and neat in her dissection techniques. I have learned much from her acquaintance this week and am ever grateful!
In the lab next door, the rest of our team worked on taking the remaining photos of the cats. John is considered the resident expert in photography. He is very modest and does not take credit where it is certainly due. Entering the final data of this expedition includes documenting pupae, "dead" cats., and parasitoids discovered. The equipment that Lee brought with him also required packing. So as members completed their specific tasks, they joined in the packing and cleaning up of the lab. Kathy assisted Dave Wagner (fondly called "Wags") with identification of his specimens and helped pack them for the return to CT. Miraculously, we all finished just in time to hear the noon lunch bell!
Lee informed us that we would leave the research station promptly at 1:30. Those of us with laptops worked on email and blogging until he announced early that we would leave now: 1:10 pm. So as the "ever ready and prepared troopers" that we are, we quickly shutdown our laptops and gathered our packs to load up in the van.
As we drove away, I began reflecting on my learning experiences and wondered if I would see SWRS again in my future. I learned that if you volunteer to work 24 hours in a week, you receive room and board, and when not "working", you can join in research projects occurring at SWRS. This is open to university students, but I'm not sure if educators are eligible.
We were only about 15-20 miles down the road from SWRS when I felt my cell phone vibrate. It was actually receiving a signal in the middle of the desert. I was able to listen to half of a message when the signal was lost. I checked my phone in a few seconds and saw it was receiving a signal again, so I called my husband, John, and he answered! I had not spoken to him since August 6th so this was quite a treat! Again, I lost the signal a few minutes later. Our drive to Tucson was about 3 hours and I knew I'd call him when we arrived.
We reached the LaQuinta Inn and Suites near the airport around 5:00 pm. Lee allowed us one hour to get settled in and we would meet at 6:00 pm to go to the restaurant, Mi Nidito. This became famous when President Bill Clinton dined there on February 25, 1999. They do not accept reservations, so when we arrived the wait for about one hour. I took this opportunity to call John again. This conversation really made me feel homesick and I knew it was time to go home.
The restaurant was very accommodating and we were seated in close proximity, but in one large group and 2 booths. The meal was very good. Mexican food is loved by everyone in my family and I enjoy eating their less spicey foods. Today is Suoko's birthday! We had a special dessert requested for her and she was very delighted by this. As usual, I took pictures of her smiling and enjoying this treat.
We we arrived back at the hotel, I did not have to repack for the airplane because I spent the time wisely from 5 - 6 pm and rearranged my baggage. The backpack and Camelbak (water bottle backpack) had to go into my large luggage. I'm glad I didn't have to repack after dinner because I, along with everyone, was very tired.
Lee met with us for the last time after dinner and gave a very brief description of what we accomplished this week. He said we collected approximately 12 new species for his research. His data would be compiled and available on his website at a future date. He explained that if we wanted to sign up for his other sites, we would have to pay for the expedition. When you receive a fellowship, you cannot request a project or professor. So if I choose to go to Costa Rica or Equador, I'll have to pay for my expedition. I actually would really enjoy Costa Rica from the details he has provided this week. The climate is about the same year round and not as hot or humid as Florida. Time will only tell what activities I engage in for my future.
Most of us said our "goodbyes and goodnights" in case we missed each other during the continental breakfast. Some of us had airplane departures about the same time, so we made arrangements to meet in the morning for a quick breakfast and airport shuttle ride. Sometimes goodbyes can be sad, but I was ready to return to home and to my new position at Westgate as a 5th grade science teacher. With all of my newfound knowledge and ideas spinning in my head, I was anxious to return and get started on a new school year!
[This post was completed 3 days after my return. The Dallas airport wireless connection was not cooperative. I spent most of my weekend catching up on household duties and spending time with family]
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
Day 8 August 12, 2009
Today, Angela taught Jared, Jenny, and myself how to dissect frozen caterpillars. This is the focus of Angela's research at Wesleyan University. Her research is focused on whether parasitism is reduced in caterpillars that have an increased immune system. The process is to dye clear silicon glass beads red. These glass beads range in size from 40 - 100 microns. A micron is equivalent to one millionth of a meter (10 to the negative 6 power). So these beads can only be seen under a microscope. The beads are then placed in a centrifuge soaked in Ringer solution until she is ready to inject them into live caterpillars. Ringer solution is an aqueous solution of the chlorides of sodium, potassium, and calcium in the same concentrations as normal body fluids, used chiefly in the laboratory for sustaining tissue. During dissection, the body parts can be easily observed and manipulated. This eases in the dissection process.
Angela performed the dying process and injection about 3 days ago. Once the injection takes place, there is usually an immediate response to begin the process of encapsulation. Encapsulation means to encase in or as if in a capsule. If the caterpillar has a strong immune system, it will encapsulate the bead which immitates parasitism. Remember this definition? It's when a parasitoid lays its eggs inside the host body: the caterpillar. When a foreign object is encapsulated in the caterpillar, it will not develop; thus it will die.
Angela then froze the caterpillars for at least 24 hours in separate cups with one leaf inside to it could continue to eat until it froze. We began the dissection process around 9:00 am and it continued until about 4:30 pm. We did break for lunch!
I have never performed a dissection so this was very interesting. The caterpillar is laid in a petri dish and Ringer solution is poured over it. I used forceps and a straight pin to manipulate it in the solution to assist in thawing. We were short on dissection tools so we had to improvise using the pin. A horizontal cut is made on the dorsal side under the last set of prolegs. Then a perpendicular incision is made on the center of the abdomen and continues to the neck. A caterpillar has 3 pairs of thoracic legs that protrude from the thorax. The rest of the legs are called prolegs. These legs assist in locomotion. Please refer to the diagram and for further explanation of the anatomy of a caterpillar, please click the link.
I then used the forceps to remove the intestines and all other materials in search of the beads. If they have been encapsulated, they will turn very dark. However, I found several beads in my caterpillars that had red beads which is an indication that the caterpillar did not reject the foreign object by encapsulation. It is very difficult searching for these tiny beads. Even with the use of the microscope, they are difficult to locate. Angela doubled checked all of our petri dishes and she discovered we were becoming dissection experts. She rarely found additional beads in our dishes. This was very rewarding and made all of us feel very important!
At this point, Angela placed the beads located in one caterpillar into a microcentrifuge tube and labeled the date, number of beads, and species. She will enter the data into a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet at a later date.
All the while, Junko, Suoko, and Natalie were doing "zoo" which is removal of fras and collecting and feeding plant material to the caterpillars. The zoo is located in the same lab as the dissection.
When they have interesting cats. or find an unusual pupa, we take pictures for ourselves.
In another lab next door, some team members were assisting Dave with identification of his general collection. A general collection means you collect caterpillars and do not have to count the leaves when you beat the bushes. Dave is using his data to write another caterpillar book. Lee and Angela, however, are doing research with their specific collection.
Tomorrow is our last morning to finish with dissecting the 8 remaining specimens for Angela. Lee wants some team members to check the photographs of the collections made this week. A quick "zoo" will be performed which means to check for pupae and remove fras. Lee has already made arrangements for a SWRS volunteer to finish rearing the caterpillars. Once hatched out, they will be placed into the freezer. Lee will return next year to collect the data. We also have to clean up the labs we have used and store equipment and materials into a locker. When we arrived, all the equipment was out, so we don't know this process, but we'll learn.
We will eat breakfast and lunch at the research station. Then we will begin our 3 hour drive to Tucson to spend our last night together in a debriefing by Lee. He will also provide us with our last meal sponsored by Earthwatch. This has been an experience I won't forget for a long time to come. Until tomorrow......
Angela performed the dying process and injection about 3 days ago. Once the injection takes place, there is usually an immediate response to begin the process of encapsulation. Encapsulation means to encase in or as if in a capsule. If the caterpillar has a strong immune system, it will encapsulate the bead which immitates parasitism. Remember this definition? It's when a parasitoid lays its eggs inside the host body: the caterpillar. When a foreign object is encapsulated in the caterpillar, it will not develop; thus it will die.
Angela then froze the caterpillars for at least 24 hours in separate cups with one leaf inside to it could continue to eat until it froze. We began the dissection process around 9:00 am and it continued until about 4:30 pm. We did break for lunch!
I have never performed a dissection so this was very interesting. The caterpillar is laid in a petri dish and Ringer solution is poured over it. I used forceps and a straight pin to manipulate it in the solution to assist in thawing. We were short on dissection tools so we had to improvise using the pin. A horizontal cut is made on the dorsal side under the last set of prolegs. Then a perpendicular incision is made on the center of the abdomen and continues to the neck. A caterpillar has 3 pairs of thoracic legs that protrude from the thorax. The rest of the legs are called prolegs. These legs assist in locomotion. Please refer to the diagram and for further explanation of the anatomy of a caterpillar, please click the link.
I then used the forceps to remove the intestines and all other materials in search of the beads. If they have been encapsulated, they will turn very dark. However, I found several beads in my caterpillars that had red beads which is an indication that the caterpillar did not reject the foreign object by encapsulation. It is very difficult searching for these tiny beads. Even with the use of the microscope, they are difficult to locate. Angela doubled checked all of our petri dishes and she discovered we were becoming dissection experts. She rarely found additional beads in our dishes. This was very rewarding and made all of us feel very important!
At this point, Angela placed the beads located in one caterpillar into a microcentrifuge tube and labeled the date, number of beads, and species. She will enter the data into a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet at a later date.
All the while, Junko, Suoko, and Natalie were doing "zoo" which is removal of fras and collecting and feeding plant material to the caterpillars. The zoo is located in the same lab as the dissection.
When they have interesting cats. or find an unusual pupa, we take pictures for ourselves.
In another lab next door, some team members were assisting Dave with identification of his general collection. A general collection means you collect caterpillars and do not have to count the leaves when you beat the bushes. Dave is using his data to write another caterpillar book. Lee and Angela, however, are doing research with their specific collection.
Tomorrow is our last morning to finish with dissecting the 8 remaining specimens for Angela. Lee wants some team members to check the photographs of the collections made this week. A quick "zoo" will be performed which means to check for pupae and remove fras. Lee has already made arrangements for a SWRS volunteer to finish rearing the caterpillars. Once hatched out, they will be placed into the freezer. Lee will return next year to collect the data. We also have to clean up the labs we have used and store equipment and materials into a locker. When we arrived, all the equipment was out, so we don't know this process, but we'll learn.
We will eat breakfast and lunch at the research station. Then we will begin our 3 hour drive to Tucson to spend our last night together in a debriefing by Lee. He will also provide us with our last meal sponsored by Earthwatch. This has been an experience I won't forget for a long time to come. Until tomorrow......
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
Day 7 August 11, 2009
This morning I worked in the lab with Peri Mason (female with a familiar name only the male version), PhD student from Wesleyan University CT under the direction of Mike Singer, biologist. She showed me how to process specimens that are stored in baggies. You have to dump out the contents of the baggie onto a beat sheet (how we collect them when we beat the bushes) and look for the number of cat. marked on the bag. Then you have to identify the plant if it's not already written on the bag.
Data is entered into an Excel spreadsheet with the specimen number, date collected in the field, location of collection or Plot number, plant species, common plant name, cat. species, and instar (which is the stage of its molt). Then you rebag the specimens and place them aside so Lee can take individuals pictures of each caterpillar. Then the bag gets taken into another lab where it is hung on the racks (see picture of John in red shirt taking a specimen off the rack).
Since I don't know Arizona plants, this was a challenge. But Peri is a very patient person and positive in her appreciation of my assistance. She always gives me congrats when I find a very cryptic cat. (Do you remember the definition of this word???). Tim eventually joined us. He received his master's degree under Mike Singer and will eventually start his Phd program. He just said he's tired of being a student at this time and will work in a lab in Colorado. Anyway, having 3 people process specimens makes this challenging job go faster and more efficient.
During the morning, I kept my laptop on and sent emails to Dave our Tech Specialist, and Ann our Media Specialist, at Westgate Elementary, to call me on Skype. My computer "rang" about 11 am and I was SO EXCITED to hear and see a familiar face! As we talked, I picked up my computer so the webcam would show around the lab and they saw Tim, Peri, and Lee in the background processing specimens. This is a wonderful piece of technology that I hope to use again in the future. Everyone should have a webcam so they can communicate with family and friends (for free!).
Lee gave everyone the afternoon "off" of work, so we split into 2 groups according to choice of activity. After Lee drove us back to Cave Creek Ranch, some decided to walk to the Portal Store which is about 1.2 miles towards the east. The rest of us: Kathy, Judy, Junko, Suwoko (got her correct spelling tonight), Jenny, and I chose to walk on a trail towards Silver Peak. The trailhead is about 1 mile or so west of Cave Creek. When we arrived at the trailhead, the sign said it was 4 1/2 miles. We knew from our previous walk and given the time of day (3:00 pm) that we probably would not walk the entire way. I brought my GPS this time and marked waypoints at Cave Creek so we would know the elevation. I am still learning how to work it and I didn't know how to mark the distance we walked. I will upload some beautiful vistas on the blog so you can see the height we walked. We were only hiking about 2 hours when we arrived back to Cave Creek. As always, it was good to be "home sweet home" because my feet were tired.
Everyone had plans to go into town after dinner to the town of Rodeo for "entertainment". So we ate dinner in a hurry and while walking back to the van, Lee saw someone he knew that said our place of entertainment was only open Wednesday through Saturday. Jared especially was very sadden by this news. So we made alternative plans and drove to the Portal Store (see pictures) and went back to the ranch house at Cave Creek. Since there were 14 of us, the conversations were lively and engaging.......ranging from family news, exchanging addresses with Junko and Suwoko, to "shop talk" about school beginning.
As the evening wore on, people slowing started going outside to get ready for the meteor shower. There were many clouds which made it very difficult to see all of the night sky. Natalie saw the first shooting stars which got everyone in the mood, but the cloud cover and slow meteor action were disappointing. So we had to make do of the time by keeping conversations going. We had been asked to keep the noise level down while outside and considering we are all teachers who "talk for a living", this was one difficult task. John kept telling everyone to keep their voices to a "2" which meant on a scale of 1 - 10, very quiet. That sure didn't work for most of us. But I was able to remain quiet if any of you can believe that!?!?!?
Tonight's blog will be short because of our meteor shower event and the fact I did not have much time to journal today's events until later this evening. Please write comments! I appreciate your notes, even if they are just a "hello".
.
Data is entered into an Excel spreadsheet with the specimen number, date collected in the field, location of collection or Plot number, plant species, common plant name, cat. species, and instar (which is the stage of its molt). Then you rebag the specimens and place them aside so Lee can take individuals pictures of each caterpillar. Then the bag gets taken into another lab where it is hung on the racks (see picture of John in red shirt taking a specimen off the rack).
Since I don't know Arizona plants, this was a challenge. But Peri is a very patient person and positive in her appreciation of my assistance. She always gives me congrats when I find a very cryptic cat. (Do you remember the definition of this word???). Tim eventually joined us. He received his master's degree under Mike Singer and will eventually start his Phd program. He just said he's tired of being a student at this time and will work in a lab in Colorado. Anyway, having 3 people process specimens makes this challenging job go faster and more efficient.
During the morning, I kept my laptop on and sent emails to Dave our Tech Specialist, and Ann our Media Specialist, at Westgate Elementary, to call me on Skype. My computer "rang" about 11 am and I was SO EXCITED to hear and see a familiar face! As we talked, I picked up my computer so the webcam would show around the lab and they saw Tim, Peri, and Lee in the background processing specimens. This is a wonderful piece of technology that I hope to use again in the future. Everyone should have a webcam so they can communicate with family and friends (for free!).
Lee gave everyone the afternoon "off" of work, so we split into 2 groups according to choice of activity. After Lee drove us back to Cave Creek Ranch, some decided to walk to the Portal Store which is about 1.2 miles towards the east. The rest of us: Kathy, Judy, Junko, Suwoko (got her correct spelling tonight), Jenny, and I chose to walk on a trail towards Silver Peak. The trailhead is about 1 mile or so west of Cave Creek. When we arrived at the trailhead, the sign said it was 4 1/2 miles. We knew from our previous walk and given the time of day (3:00 pm) that we probably would not walk the entire way. I brought my GPS this time and marked waypoints at Cave Creek so we would know the elevation. I am still learning how to work it and I didn't know how to mark the distance we walked. I will upload some beautiful vistas on the blog so you can see the height we walked. We were only hiking about 2 hours when we arrived back to Cave Creek. As always, it was good to be "home sweet home" because my feet were tired.
Everyone had plans to go into town after dinner to the town of Rodeo for "entertainment". So we ate dinner in a hurry and while walking back to the van, Lee saw someone he knew that said our place of entertainment was only open Wednesday through Saturday. Jared especially was very sadden by this news. So we made alternative plans and drove to the Portal Store (see pictures) and went back to the ranch house at Cave Creek. Since there were 14 of us, the conversations were lively and engaging.......ranging from family news, exchanging addresses with Junko and Suwoko, to "shop talk" about school beginning.
As the evening wore on, people slowing started going outside to get ready for the meteor shower. There were many clouds which made it very difficult to see all of the night sky. Natalie saw the first shooting stars which got everyone in the mood, but the cloud cover and slow meteor action were disappointing. So we had to make do of the time by keeping conversations going. We had been asked to keep the noise level down while outside and considering we are all teachers who "talk for a living", this was one difficult task. John kept telling everyone to keep their voices to a "2" which meant on a scale of 1 - 10, very quiet. That sure didn't work for most of us. But I was able to remain quiet if any of you can believe that!?!?!?
Tonight's blog will be short because of our meteor shower event and the fact I did not have much time to journal today's events until later this evening. Please write comments! I appreciate your notes, even if they are just a "hello".
.
Monday, August 10, 2009
Day 6 August 10, 2009
Today, Suoko and I were assigned lab duty in the "zoo". Angela Smilanich, post doctoral student working with Lee, is supervising our new duties. This lab is where we keep all of our caterpillars. Our job is to empty every ziplock baggie (high tech science containers!) and look for pupae (plural for pupa), remove the fras (cat. poop), and return them to the bag. If the cat. is running out of food, we are making a "shopping list" so more host plant food can be collected. I would estimate there are over 100 baggies hanging on the rack at this moment. There could be anywhere from 1 to 20 cats. in each bag. As they grow and take up more space, they will be separated into more bags. Every day team members are going out collecting more specimens. So the job of emptying fras is neverending.
Suoko is moving much quicker than I am because I am absorbed in the moment. I am thinking about how I can use these techniques with my students and also taking pictures of them. Another new word I have learned is cryptic. That is the word used to describe the camoflaged effect used by the cats. to blend into their host plant. Each cat. has been identified by the "processors" (another lab job performed by Earthwatch teammembers) and the cat. is given an identification number. These numbers are written on the baggie. We also have to check the number of cat. written on the bag with the number found inside. Considering how cryptic they are, this is a very tedious job just looking for them. One bag I checked had 3 cats. missing, so Angela said to make another list titled: escapees. Imagine, caterpillars escaping from their food source....how dare they alter our scientific data!!!
In another bag I emptied, there were one cat., one pupa, and one parasitized cat. This means the parasitoid already developed into its adult form, consumed the entire cat. and was gone. All that was left was the faint trace of the cats. body and the empty pupa of the parasitoid. I don't know where the parasitoid went, but it wasn't in the bag. So another duty is to mark a separate bag and place the parasitoid into it and place all pupae found into a different baggie and mark it accordingly.
I realized halfway through the morning that I was very thirsty and felt dehydrated. So we went to buy a Gatorade from the office. While there, we discovered someone captured a rattlesnake from the garage yesterday. It is being kept in an enclosure, stored in the office, and I discovered during lunch that they plan on tagging it. That is one job I don't care to explore.
Lunchtime came quickly.....they ring a dinner bell for every meal. So off we went to eat beef tostados, salad, and watermelon. They do make good, nutritious food and allow you to serve yourself with generous portions. They don't frown on seconds as long as everyone has had their first helping.
After lunch everyone returned to their assigned duties. Lee said we can change jobs tomorrow since some of us have not finished our morning duties. I know he was directly talking about us because Angela spoke up and said we hadn't finished removing all the cat. fras. I understand their committment and realize we are here to learn about their research and assist as needed. No one has complained about their job assignments. Although, one person has expressed a desire to stay in the field collecting, rather than work in the lab.
FYI for Astronomy Lovers!!!
The annual Perseid meteor shower will occur late Tuesday night and into the early morning hours of Wednesday morning. You might see more than 80 meteors an hour streak across the sky during the best viewing times, when the moon's glare will be the weakest. To see the Perseid meteor shower, bring a blanket to a place away from city lights and lay on your back, taking in as much of the sky as possible. The meteors will originate in the northeastern sky near the constellation Perseus and then shoot off in all directions.
Here is a good link: www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/08/090810085310.htm
After a dinner of baked (previously frozen) fish, tater tots, salad, and jello, Mike Singer, Professor of Biology at Wesleyan University, CT, gave a very detailed talk about the "Advantage of specialist over generalist temperate forest caterpillars at avoiding bird predation". I know it sounds like a long and detailed lecture and it was. I took notes 90% of the lecture and just became overwhelmed with information overload towards the end. As I looked around the room, I could tell the other team members felt the same. About half of us take notes when there are lectures. I wonder how reflective the ones who don't take notes can be unless they have a "gift" of remembering details. But considering this lecture is on a graduate level, I doubt much of this information would be recalled. As for using my notes in the future, that is yet to be determined, but at least I have them for a reference.
Lee returned us to Cave Creek around 9:00 pm and everyone decided to call it a night. Tomorrow night we have plans on taking a night walk into the desert near Portal, AZ. This is about 3-5 miles towards the east of Cave Creek. And of course, Jared is most excited about seeing the meteor shower in the night sky. So be sure you take a look outside Tuesday evening for the annual event. I hope you appreciate today's photos. Goodnight!
Suoko is moving much quicker than I am because I am absorbed in the moment. I am thinking about how I can use these techniques with my students and also taking pictures of them. Another new word I have learned is cryptic. That is the word used to describe the camoflaged effect used by the cats. to blend into their host plant. Each cat. has been identified by the "processors" (another lab job performed by Earthwatch teammembers) and the cat. is given an identification number. These numbers are written on the baggie. We also have to check the number of cat. written on the bag with the number found inside. Considering how cryptic they are, this is a very tedious job just looking for them. One bag I checked had 3 cats. missing, so Angela said to make another list titled: escapees. Imagine, caterpillars escaping from their food source....how dare they alter our scientific data!!!
In another bag I emptied, there were one cat., one pupa, and one parasitized cat. This means the parasitoid already developed into its adult form, consumed the entire cat. and was gone. All that was left was the faint trace of the cats. body and the empty pupa of the parasitoid. I don't know where the parasitoid went, but it wasn't in the bag. So another duty is to mark a separate bag and place the parasitoid into it and place all pupae found into a different baggie and mark it accordingly.
I realized halfway through the morning that I was very thirsty and felt dehydrated. So we went to buy a Gatorade from the office. While there, we discovered someone captured a rattlesnake from the garage yesterday. It is being kept in an enclosure, stored in the office, and I discovered during lunch that they plan on tagging it. That is one job I don't care to explore.
Lunchtime came quickly.....they ring a dinner bell for every meal. So off we went to eat beef tostados, salad, and watermelon. They do make good, nutritious food and allow you to serve yourself with generous portions. They don't frown on seconds as long as everyone has had their first helping.
After lunch everyone returned to their assigned duties. Lee said we can change jobs tomorrow since some of us have not finished our morning duties. I know he was directly talking about us because Angela spoke up and said we hadn't finished removing all the cat. fras. I understand their committment and realize we are here to learn about their research and assist as needed. No one has complained about their job assignments. Although, one person has expressed a desire to stay in the field collecting, rather than work in the lab.
FYI for Astronomy Lovers!!!
The annual Perseid meteor shower will occur late Tuesday night and into the early morning hours of Wednesday morning. You might see more than 80 meteors an hour streak across the sky during the best viewing times, when the moon's glare will be the weakest. To see the Perseid meteor shower, bring a blanket to a place away from city lights and lay on your back, taking in as much of the sky as possible. The meteors will originate in the northeastern sky near the constellation Perseus and then shoot off in all directions.
Here is a good link: www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/08/090810085310.htm
After a dinner of baked (previously frozen) fish, tater tots, salad, and jello, Mike Singer, Professor of Biology at Wesleyan University, CT, gave a very detailed talk about the "Advantage of specialist over generalist temperate forest caterpillars at avoiding bird predation". I know it sounds like a long and detailed lecture and it was. I took notes 90% of the lecture and just became overwhelmed with information overload towards the end. As I looked around the room, I could tell the other team members felt the same. About half of us take notes when there are lectures. I wonder how reflective the ones who don't take notes can be unless they have a "gift" of remembering details. But considering this lecture is on a graduate level, I doubt much of this information would be recalled. As for using my notes in the future, that is yet to be determined, but at least I have them for a reference.
Lee returned us to Cave Creek around 9:00 pm and everyone decided to call it a night. Tomorrow night we have plans on taking a night walk into the desert near Portal, AZ. This is about 3-5 miles towards the east of Cave Creek. And of course, Jared is most excited about seeing the meteor shower in the night sky. So be sure you take a look outside Tuesday evening for the annual event. I hope you appreciate today's photos. Goodnight!
Sunday, August 9, 2009
Day 5 August 9, 2009
Today was FANTASTIC! Lee drove Mike Singer, professor at Wesleyan in CT, Ryan Wagner, Kathy, Suoko, Junko, and myself almost to the top of the Chiricahua Mountain range. Rustler's Park is at an elevation of 8,500 feet and the very top is almost 9,800 feet. Lee taught us how to plot a 10 foot diameter field to collect caterpillars.
Lee laid out a rope in the center of an area on the side of a trail. We each took end of the rope and stretched it out straight. Kathy, Suoko, Junko, and myself each were assigned a quadrant. First, we had to count every fern plant. Then, we had to count every leaf on lupine plants......yes, I said every leaf! Then we beat all of the vegetation for caterpillars. We were not very successful. I asked Lee if he was disappointed in our findings and he commented that he does not make premature speculations about anything until he records all of his data and notes patterns in his data. I am really beginning to understand more complex scientific experiments. I have been thinking of ways I can incorporate what I have learned into my classroom. I plan on making "beat sheets" and teaching my students how to collect caterpillars. I know this will be an exciting activity for them.
As we drove down the mountain, we took wonderful photos of the vistas. It is truly amazing to think that we can travel across this vast terrain and be on top of a mountain within an hour!
After lunch, Lee gave us the afternoon off. Considering none of us have transportation, we had to come up with a plan of action. Kathy, Judy, Jenny, Suoko, Junko, Natalie, and myself obtained information from the Nature Store, which also serves at the research station's office, about trails in the area. He suggested the South Fork Road was the best walk to see Trogons. These are fascinating birds endemic to this area and Mexico. Of course, I had always planned on somehow taking this road considering it is the name of the ranch from my oldest favorite television show Dallas. And many of you know my sons are named for the main characters of this show: JR, Bobby, and Gary.
Lee drove us to the main road intersection for South Fork and off we went. It was approximately 2 miles to the trail head. We stopped along the way to take photos of butterflies feeding upon the wild flowers growing alongside the road. Jenny trailed behind caught in her own thoughts. I waited for her because I kept thinking about the wildlife that lives in this area: bobcats, bear, rattlesnakes, etc. Many of us took some great photos of the numerous butterflies along the road.
When we came to the trailhead, we discovered there was a picnic area. We only walked about 100 yards and stopped for a photo op in the dry creekbed. Junko tried repeatedly to take a photo of everyone using her timer. Her camera wasn't cooperating for the longest time, but finally it worked. I collected 2 interesting rocks as a keepsake from the creekbed. Before we left the picnic area, we stopped at the compost toilet. Everyone thought I was crazy for taking pictures of this toilet. But, I believe this is a viable option for alternative methods of processing human waste. Compost toilets also provide nutrient rich compost that can be used in your yard. I would like to have one in our future barn to be built on our NC property.
Unfortunately, we never saw or heard Trogons. We met several researchers on South Fork who also were in search of Trogons and other wildlife, but particularly caterpillars. At this point, we all realized this walk was going to turn into a lengthy trek back to Cave Creek where we are staying. The road seemed to get longer and longer.......and me feet were really feeling it. We stopped to take a picture of the interesting signs along the road, especially the one about smuggling and illegal immigration. The sign for Cave Creek never looked so good! Home Sweet Home. We recounted and realized that we had walked a total of 6 miles total. Everyone headed to their own cabins for a well deserved shower.
After an uneventful dinner, Dave Wagner, Univ. of Conn, gave a talk about caterpillars. I took detailed notes and plan on typing them into a word doc. It was very interesting and I know I will never look at plants the same way. We are not aware of the world that lives among us in the trees and shrubs around us. Some caterpillars are in plain view, but most are camouflaged or in hiding from their predators. I am looking forward to purchasing Dave's book because I know it will be a valuable reference to me in the future.
We heard from a couple staying at Cave Creek that they witnessed a bobcat last night on the road and this afternoon about 5:30 pm outside a cabin at the ranch. This is about 100 yards from my cabin. I guess anything is likely to appear considering this is a natural habitat for wildlife. I have yet to see anything exciting other than bats.......LOTS OF BATS at night. I have decided that they will not hurt me and are only searching for their dinner.
We don't know what plans Lee has for us on Monday morning. Suoko and I are the only members who have not worked in the lab. So I would imagine we will do so tomorrow. Everyone says it is interesting but becomes tedious. I hope to learn ways I can include my lab methods in my class.
I know most of my blogs are lengthy, but I want to share my adventures so everyone can learn about the scientific world and the processes that occur. I also want to remember each day in detail for my journal. So you will have to endure my lengthy posts. Thanks for following along!
Monday leaves us with 3 days left of research. We will drive back to Tucson on Thursday, have a final briefing and dinner in the evening. Then my brain will switch gears and think about my 5th grade adventure that is about to begin. As I type this blog, everyone is discussing scorpion bites and where they can show up unexpectedly. Jared found a small one in his shower tonight. So I hope I don't get a visit anytime soon. Goodnight!
Lee laid out a rope in the center of an area on the side of a trail. We each took end of the rope and stretched it out straight. Kathy, Suoko, Junko, and myself each were assigned a quadrant. First, we had to count every fern plant. Then, we had to count every leaf on lupine plants......yes, I said every leaf! Then we beat all of the vegetation for caterpillars. We were not very successful. I asked Lee if he was disappointed in our findings and he commented that he does not make premature speculations about anything until he records all of his data and notes patterns in his data. I am really beginning to understand more complex scientific experiments. I have been thinking of ways I can incorporate what I have learned into my classroom. I plan on making "beat sheets" and teaching my students how to collect caterpillars. I know this will be an exciting activity for them.
As we drove down the mountain, we took wonderful photos of the vistas. It is truly amazing to think that we can travel across this vast terrain and be on top of a mountain within an hour!
After lunch, Lee gave us the afternoon off. Considering none of us have transportation, we had to come up with a plan of action. Kathy, Judy, Jenny, Suoko, Junko, Natalie, and myself obtained information from the Nature Store, which also serves at the research station's office, about trails in the area. He suggested the South Fork Road was the best walk to see Trogons. These are fascinating birds endemic to this area and Mexico. Of course, I had always planned on somehow taking this road considering it is the name of the ranch from my oldest favorite television show Dallas. And many of you know my sons are named for the main characters of this show: JR, Bobby, and Gary.
Lee drove us to the main road intersection for South Fork and off we went. It was approximately 2 miles to the trail head. We stopped along the way to take photos of butterflies feeding upon the wild flowers growing alongside the road. Jenny trailed behind caught in her own thoughts. I waited for her because I kept thinking about the wildlife that lives in this area: bobcats, bear, rattlesnakes, etc. Many of us took some great photos of the numerous butterflies along the road.
When we came to the trailhead, we discovered there was a picnic area. We only walked about 100 yards and stopped for a photo op in the dry creekbed. Junko tried repeatedly to take a photo of everyone using her timer. Her camera wasn't cooperating for the longest time, but finally it worked. I collected 2 interesting rocks as a keepsake from the creekbed. Before we left the picnic area, we stopped at the compost toilet. Everyone thought I was crazy for taking pictures of this toilet. But, I believe this is a viable option for alternative methods of processing human waste. Compost toilets also provide nutrient rich compost that can be used in your yard. I would like to have one in our future barn to be built on our NC property.
Unfortunately, we never saw or heard Trogons. We met several researchers on South Fork who also were in search of Trogons and other wildlife, but particularly caterpillars. At this point, we all realized this walk was going to turn into a lengthy trek back to Cave Creek where we are staying. The road seemed to get longer and longer.......and me feet were really feeling it. We stopped to take a picture of the interesting signs along the road, especially the one about smuggling and illegal immigration. The sign for Cave Creek never looked so good! Home Sweet Home. We recounted and realized that we had walked a total of 6 miles total. Everyone headed to their own cabins for a well deserved shower.
After an uneventful dinner, Dave Wagner, Univ. of Conn, gave a talk about caterpillars. I took detailed notes and plan on typing them into a word doc. It was very interesting and I know I will never look at plants the same way. We are not aware of the world that lives among us in the trees and shrubs around us. Some caterpillars are in plain view, but most are camouflaged or in hiding from their predators. I am looking forward to purchasing Dave's book because I know it will be a valuable reference to me in the future.
We heard from a couple staying at Cave Creek that they witnessed a bobcat last night on the road and this afternoon about 5:30 pm outside a cabin at the ranch. This is about 100 yards from my cabin. I guess anything is likely to appear considering this is a natural habitat for wildlife. I have yet to see anything exciting other than bats.......LOTS OF BATS at night. I have decided that they will not hurt me and are only searching for their dinner.
We don't know what plans Lee has for us on Monday morning. Suoko and I are the only members who have not worked in the lab. So I would imagine we will do so tomorrow. Everyone says it is interesting but becomes tedious. I hope to learn ways I can include my lab methods in my class.
I know most of my blogs are lengthy, but I want to share my adventures so everyone can learn about the scientific world and the processes that occur. I also want to remember each day in detail for my journal. So you will have to endure my lengthy posts. Thanks for following along!
Monday leaves us with 3 days left of research. We will drive back to Tucson on Thursday, have a final briefing and dinner in the evening. Then my brain will switch gears and think about my 5th grade adventure that is about to begin. As I type this blog, everyone is discussing scorpion bites and where they can show up unexpectedly. Jared found a small one in his shower tonight. So I hope I don't get a visit anytime soon. Goodnight!
Saturday, August 8, 2009
Day 4 August 8, 2009
This morning I set my cellphone alarm to go off at 6:00am. When it rang, I thought I'd like to sleep another 30 minutes. So I reset the alarm, dozed off, and awoke to a bright sunlight... and the alarm didn't ring. So I jumped up and saw the time of 6:52am. Lee said he would pick us up for breakfast at 7 am. I knocked quickly on Aimee's door and told her the time, but she said it was only 5:52 am. She said AZ and CA have the same time. I didn't understand until later when Lee told me that my cell phone is picking up from a tower in New Mexico, which is about 8-10 miles to our east. So I've actually been awake since 5:42. I think I'll be ready for sleep by the time the sun goes down.
After a wonderful, filling breakfast, we were given about an hour to ourselves until our "jobs" began. Some of us were assigned to the lab, some to collect a "general collection" with Dave Wagner, and some to collect for Lee which involves counting leaves on the tree/bush. So collecting for Dave is much easier because you can just "beat the bush", place your findings in a bag, and off you go to another tree/bush. Suoko, Jared, and I were assigned to collect for Lee. But we had reinforcements: Mike Singer, professor at Wesleyan College in CT who is very knowledgeable in plant identification as well as caterpillar, was our lead guide. He was very easy going and helped us improve in our techniques of collecting.
Dave Wagner and his group collected in the general area that we were in. But when plants or caterpillars challenged Mike, he called the "pro" which is Dave. He is the premier expert of the United States because of his book, "Caterpillars of Eastern North America: a Guide to Identification and Natural History". I've mentioned his book in previous blogs, but I didn't know the proper title. We understand this book is the most used selection by scientists in North America. So we are very fortunate to be in his company. He is very dedicated to his work and is beginning to collect specimens for a new book on western caterpillars. I would imagine it will take years to gather information and publish it because he is so meticulous. I know I'll purchase this book for my personal and professional library.
In the afternoon, Angela who is a post-doctoral student in CT, drove the entire group to the campground where she and Lee are staying to collect. We were not as successful as this morning. But nonetheless, we found a few caterpillars. Our work this afternoon involved digging underneath oak trees because ants eat the "fras" of caterpillars (fras is feces). Caterpillars sometimes hide during the day in the moist soil under the canopy of oaks. We were not successful at all. The only thing I "collected" was an army of ants all over me!!! Before I knew it, black ants, who also like to bite were up my legs, on my shoulders and even inside my pants legs. So I did some very quick hopping and dancing while Judy tried to swat them off. I thought I would literally have to take my pants off. Fortunately for all, I was able to rid myself of them in a short time. This would be very amusing.
Time to close for the evening. Stay tuned!
After a wonderful, filling breakfast, we were given about an hour to ourselves until our "jobs" began. Some of us were assigned to the lab, some to collect a "general collection" with Dave Wagner, and some to collect for Lee which involves counting leaves on the tree/bush. So collecting for Dave is much easier because you can just "beat the bush", place your findings in a bag, and off you go to another tree/bush. Suoko, Jared, and I were assigned to collect for Lee. But we had reinforcements: Mike Singer, professor at Wesleyan College in CT who is very knowledgeable in plant identification as well as caterpillar, was our lead guide. He was very easy going and helped us improve in our techniques of collecting.
Dave Wagner and his group collected in the general area that we were in. But when plants or caterpillars challenged Mike, he called the "pro" which is Dave. He is the premier expert of the United States because of his book, "Caterpillars of Eastern North America: a Guide to Identification and Natural History". I've mentioned his book in previous blogs, but I didn't know the proper title. We understand this book is the most used selection by scientists in North America. So we are very fortunate to be in his company. He is very dedicated to his work and is beginning to collect specimens for a new book on western caterpillars. I would imagine it will take years to gather information and publish it because he is so meticulous. I know I'll purchase this book for my personal and professional library.
In the afternoon, Angela who is a post-doctoral student in CT, drove the entire group to the campground where she and Lee are staying to collect. We were not as successful as this morning. But nonetheless, we found a few caterpillars. Our work this afternoon involved digging underneath oak trees because ants eat the "fras" of caterpillars (fras is feces). Caterpillars sometimes hide during the day in the moist soil under the canopy of oaks. We were not successful at all. The only thing I "collected" was an army of ants all over me!!! Before I knew it, black ants, who also like to bite were up my legs, on my shoulders and even inside my pants legs. So I did some very quick hopping and dancing while Judy tried to swat them off. I thought I would literally have to take my pants off. Fortunately for all, I was able to rid myself of them in a short time. This would be very amusing.
Time to close for the evening. Stay tuned!
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