Volume V, no. 2, Summer 1998Table of Contents
Deep Woods field trip -
Alyson Digman
Deep Woods Field TripOn 11 July 1998, the sun shone brightly in a cloudless blue sky as the Ohio Coleopterists set out on their first collecting excursion of the year. A group of seven met at the OSU Museum of Biological Diversity and car pooled down to the Hocking Hills, where Dave Horn is involved with a research survey of the fauna of Deep Woods Farm. The farm, 282 acres of natural habitat, is owned by David Blyth, who purchased the land and has ensured that the farm will continue reversion to natural habitats without being developed or subdivided. His intentions are to maintain the land in its current relatively pristine condition to provide a protected place for those who wish to study the land and its natural inhabitants. Armed with killing jars and nets, the group first hiked up a hill where several pitfall traps were being installed as part of a research project on response of burying beetles to different chemical attractants. The summit of the deeply forested hill revealed numerous dead and fallen trees, shelf fungi, and much leaf litter. After a brief introduction by Dave Horn, the group separated to flush out the elusive insects. The trail down the hillside led to large, mos-covered sandstone cliffs. Silken webs spun by spiders within the rock crevices displayed numerous captured beetles for observation. Beneath rotting trees, large centipedes lay coiled in slumber. A loud hissing sound head nearby led to discovery of a large, snow white turkey vulture chick nestled in a small cave. Fearful of having its parents return, we continued the quest for beetles further down the hillside. Towards the base of the hill lay Deer Field. This large, overgrown, flower-filled field was ideal for collecting. Queen Anne’s lace and black-eyed Susan abounded, as did numerous chrysomelids foraging among the blooms. The field yielded many excellent specimens from many families of insects, and within half an hour the killing jars were nearly full. Beyond the field ran a wide, peaceful creek ranging from ankle to waist deep. High grasses bordered both sides, where several species of damselflies fed and courted. Countless Lepidoptera (mostly swallowtails) sailed along the banks and teased collectors by hovering at the edge of their nets. Tiger beetles (mostly Cicindela sexguttata) scurried about the pebbled silt. Quick hands eagerly gathered them into makeshift gas chambers. Beetles too small to easily catch by hand were stunned as pooters sucked them from their peaceful leafy dinner into a glass holding jar. The satisfied collectors returned to their cars hungry for food and for comparing each others catch. Dave and his gracious wife Roz invited everyone to their A-frame cabin a few miles from Deep Woods for a cookout. After a delicious meal of chargrilled hamburgs and hotdogs, fresh fruit salad, cole slaw and s’mores, the group spread their euthanized specimens across the picnic table for inspection. The outing produced several jars full of insects. The day that began so beautifully ended splendidly as well, and as we drove back down the narrow dirt road, each person could eagerly await our next field trip. - Alyson Digman |