Research Expedition to the western Texas (2020)
Date: 25 August – 30 August 2020
Location: Davis Mountain State Park, Texas, USA
Texas is the largest in size and second to the most populated state after California, located in southern US. Texas is in middle of where the subtropical to tropical and savannah to dessert like environment is separated in the United States, therefore there are many different fauna of animals and plants are available compared from east to west.
As you can see there is a one star in the state flag, Texas is known as Lone Star State. The name is given to celebrate the independence from the Mexico in the history. The state name Texas is derived a term: táyshaʼ (friend), a language of the Indian Tribe Caddo. As the history is, there are many, many Mexican (or Hispanic) occurs in the State. There are surely a lot of recent immigrants, but there are a lot of descendants as well.
The research expedition this year was planning to be placed at Arizona like last year, but due to COVID-19 issue, everything has been cancelled. However, as I have had enough stress from my work in this hot summer weather in a mask… I decided to take my time off regardless. In the meanwhile, I found out my old buddy Alan Jeon from Alabama was planning on a research trip to the western Texas, I decided to hop on and finally meeting him in person for the first time in over a decade. Alan got his Bachelor’s in Science degree in Entomology from Auburn University (Auburn, Alabama, USA), and studied Order Blattodea, and also described a new species.
The main research site was Davis Mountains State Park (Fort Davis, TX), and our goal is to study the scarabs including Chrysina gloriosa (LeConte), C. woodi (Horn) of Rutelinae, and Megasoma vogti Cartwright of Dynastinae.
25 August 2020 – Departure!
Finally, I’m getting away from my work in the weather reaching 104˚F, and even hotter in all-day mask. Having a trip none like a regular trip to the western Texas! As a distance to the Davis Mountains State Park from home is about 811 miles (1,300 km), I cannot drive in a day, so I decided to make a stopping point somewhere in the middle. Today, I’m driving to the Abilene, Texas. It is about 7 hours, 491 miles (790 km) driving from home. Actual time took 7 hours 37 minutes (516 mi.). I was honestly afraid of taking a stop at hotel due to COVID-19 sanitation issue, but driving over a 800 miles straight sounded worse.
After a long drive, I finally arrived at Abeline, Texas. I’ve been to or aware of major cities like Dallas, Austin, San Antonio, Houston, etc., but Abeline also seemed quite a large city. Highways were surrounding the city, so the city seemed like an island, and a lot of chains of different major companies were available here and there. To recover from the long distance trip, I immediately went to the reserved hotel, took a warm bath, a nap, a light dinner, and then finally went to sleep…
26 August 2020 – Davis Mountains State Park (Fort Davis, TX)
I finally arrived at the DMSP. Alan is planned to be here on next day, so I’ve decided to go around the potential collection sites I discussed with Alan in time ahead of trip. Unlike Louisiana, this place seemed rather… very different at the very least. Less tree, less greens…
I couldn’t believe there are any scarabs occurring here. I felt somewhat a resemblance from Arizona trip. Although there is no Dynastes grantii (Horn), Two species of Chrysina are known to occur here: Chrysina gloriosa (LeConte) and C. woodi (Horn).
In one of the places I’ve been to, I decided to setup a UV light trap, about 20 miles away from campsite. I also got a word of permission from forestry agent while I was there studying during the daytime. The Fort Davis (town area) is located in altitude above sea level of 4,780 ft, Campsite entrance is in about 4,985 ft, the trap is set up in 5,750 ft… So, roughly I’m about 200 ft above the town area. I haven’t found Chrysina or any scarabs during the day. I only observed couple butterflies (Papilionidae, Nymphalidae, Hesperiidae).
As I observed many individual alligator juniper trees, a host plant of Chrysina gloriosa, I was hoping to find adult beetles feeding on leaves, however, I could not find a single adult. Regardless, I decided to place trap here as I didn’t have enough time to locate another place. It is only 20 miles away from campsite, however, the route is combination of many curves and up and downs, I couldn’t speed up to drive from/to here. Be very careful if anyone is planning a trip!
I found quite number of Eleodes goryi Solier (Tenebrionidae) on fruit peelings (probably watermelon) thrown by previous visitors here apparently… (Also observed on trees during UV trapping at night).
Link: to be updated
I used white mesh fabric this time to avoid a collapse from a severe weather
I found quite number of this darkling beetles on ground and on between tree barks, however, far away from the uv trap. They are probably not a species attracted to the light.
After a little while, one of nearby trail hikers has came and talked to me…
” What species have you found so far? “
I was quite amused to hear what they were asking as people normally ask: “What are you doing here?” His question sounded quite different from what I was expecting… So I asked:
” Do you know what I’m doing right now?? “
then he replies:
“You are doing a UV trapping!”
Wow…. never ever met a person who knows what I’m doing in my UV trapping trips…
I found out he studied entomology previously, and currently in a team as a a reptile photographer for the National Geographic!! He told me this is also a good place to find rattle snakes, so there are quite a lot of nature photographers visiting here. He took couple pictures of my trap and left. He asked if he can join me on next day with his friends, … but something else happened, and he couldn’t.
While having a good conversation with a new friend I made, finally!! The Chrysina glroiosa (LeConte) has flew over! Couple more has been observed, but unfortunately, not many are found.
The wasp known as to hunt tarantulas, the tarantulas hawk (Pepsis) has also been observed. Although not many Chrysina gloriosa were observed, many different microleps were observed. Couple different scarabs were observed as well like Orizabus sp., Xylorycted thestalus, etc. Also, a Jerusalem cricket, well known on many online pages were observed too.
As I was quite tired from long distance driving plus long day research, I started to pack everything after 11PM, and went back to campsite…
27 August 2020 – Davis Mountains State Park (Fort Davis, TX)
Day time temperature has reached about 110˚F, but night time temperature has fell all the way to the 58˚F… (or probably a lot colder). I thought I prepared well enough with sleeping bag and a blanket, but it barely helped… It was freaking cold. As the summer night in Louisiana wasn’t cold at all, I was expecting the same… But, yea, this place is high in altitude, and I was in mountain.. of course I’m wrong. As I could not continue sleep, I decided to get out of tent and do something, and….!!
I never expected to see such a beautiful night sky! Even in the Kisatchie National Forest in Louisiana, I never seen this many stars in night time…
As it was still freaking cold, I decided to drive to the nearest Walmart (although it is about 90 miles away). I purchased couple hand warmers and actual sleeping bag you can use under 40˚F, and came back to the tent… After a breakfast, cleaning my tent area, taking a observation note, and finally… Alan has arrived!
After taking a look at his recent collections, we decided to head out immediately!
Alan not only studies insects, but pretty much every other organisms found in forest, I’ve decided to hop on his collection. We found quite number of Black Walnut where Chrysina woodi would feed on.
Black Walnut (Juglans microcarpa Berlandier) is a low height walnut tree with long slender leaves with about a quarter coin sized fruit (walnut). Unfortunately, none of the leaves were damaged, so we could tell there is probably no adults are active at this moment…
We observed quite different species of organisms under rocks nearby. One that caught my interest was a flower beetle, Euphoria fulgida. I never expected to see a scarab larvae under a rock…
Among quite many different species of beautifully colored centipedes, I was only able to capture an image of S. polymorpha, known as Tiger Centipedes in English, or as Polymorpha as the species name is. We have also observed Scolopendra heros Girard.
After a daytime research, we came back to the tent. After a light meal, Alan went out again to find research more, and I decided to take a short nap in tent…
As Alan was taking more time to come back to the tent, I took a sip of time at Fort Davis town area to pump up some gas in my vehicle and a generator for next UV trapping. One of the campsite rangers were passing by me and suggested me to go all the way to the top of Skyline Drive Scenery as it is beautiful up there. The altitude up there was about 5,515 ft, little lower than previous UV trap site, but was quite a high altitude location. However, not a great spot for uv trapping as it was pretty much a huge open place where everyone down there could see me…
The second day UV trapping also took in a same place as we could not find any better location.
in same time in same location
Xyloryctes thestalus (Left) and Chrysina gloriosa (LeConte) (Right)
Fortunately, few more Chrysina gloriosa (LeConte) has flew over, and actually little more are observed than last night. Also! Xyloryctes thestalus, that I’ve observed in hundreds in Arizona has flew over too. A single male. I thought this would be a new record in this locality, but found out not. Still probably a rare observation…
As we expected, no C. woodi (Horn) are observed. Alan has mentioned it is rather dry season right now, and it seemed as it hasn’t rained since very early August just a little bit…
While I was sitting around the UV trap, Alan went into the woods and looked for more arthropods, and brought this giant tarantula! A huge male Texas Brown Tarantula it was… And also, we have observed the following spider in the following image…
A Huntsman Spider, very venomous species… It was feeding on a moth that flew over to my UV trap. I only took a picture, and ran away…
28 August 2020 – Vacation! (Cortulla, TX)
A third and the last day at the DMSP! I have to leave the park now sadly. I came down to the town to fuel up some gas and take a brief rest, I heard a news saying Hurricane Laura hit hard on central Louisiana, and my family back in town is suffering from the power outage and loss of water. I heard it is crazy wild there right now… But I still decided to continue my rest of the trip, and get back home later as they were safe and sound.
It seemed like it was a main local grocery at this town area
I made couple calls to my coworkers as well as my boss to let them know I’m okay, away from all the natural disasters, and safety of my families back in town… After coming back to the tent, Alan showed me all the bunch of critters he found last night, and also extra stuffs he found in the morning outside the tent. One of interesting arthropod was vinegaroon.
I would have freaked out if I saw this without him… Outside the tent? That just scares me… He said as it is pretty dry and hot during the day, they usually hide under the rocks to avoid heat, and come out to hunt and feed on during the early morning when it is humid… Maybe I can handle this one day, but let’s pass this time. Anything more than six legs are too much for me at this time…
Image Link: to be updated
I took couple images when I found a nymphalid butterfly and its environment where I observed the specimen in 360 camera. Unfortunately, WP does not support such image type, so I will upload a link where readers can view in 360 mode later in the future.
After the 2 night-3 day trip here at DMSP, Alan and I went different ways and meet up again later. I’m going to a place where M. vogti are known and observed (later found out this place close early and not opening at weekend. I called them right before closing time as I was running late, but no one answered my call). So I just headed to a hotel I reserved previously.
29 August 2020 – South of San Antonio, TX
Alan and I am joining again today, but I made a little trip to elsewhere beforehand. As Louisiana is out of power and water, and pretty much all the gas station is full of people waiting in a line to pump up the gas for their generators (I heard there were lines of car in more than one mile for each gas station!!), I went to Walmart to purchase gasoline tanks. There was no damage at all at San Antonio area, so I was able to acquire the tank and gasoline with no problem. I’ll pump up the gas next day…
Today, I’ll be meeting Alan and his friend to finally study the Megasoma vogti Cartwright. I reserved a hotel right off of the meeting place, so Alan and I took a good, deep rest organizing our stuffs in hotel beforehand.
After finally going to the meeting place (changed to collection site), we met Alan’s friend, JH had a little conversation, and went to collect them.
It was quite a windy day, and cold night. Also, we were afraid of finding any M. vogti Cartwright as it was rather an early season for them…
As I was closer to Louisiana, overlapping species (also found in Louisiana) were more observed compared to last two nights collections.
I had collections given from a colleague studied insects in Florida of this group (now deposited at National Institute of Biological Resources, Incheon, South Korea), but this is my first time actually seeing a live specimen. We observed quite number of them.
Unfortunately, no M. vogti are observed. This species only fly in early evening and stop moves around, so we decided to part away.
30 August 2020 – Return Trip…
Eventful trip has finally seeing an end to it. I drove pretty much all day with occasional resting, and finally arrived home in Louisiana. As soon as I entered state border of Louisiana, I was able to tell how much damage was made from the hurricane. All of the road signs are snapped back and down, many of utility poles were down, many buildings were either down or having damaged windows. It was like a disaster movie scenes… Hundreds of technician vehicles were driving to/from especially the Lake Charles, Louisiana with an escort from local police vehicles…
To be updated…
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