July 12 Field Update



July 12, 2000 Big browns and bat bugs
	A second night outside of Buffalo along Cross Creek yielded another half dozen big browns. Nearly all were caught in a spiffy double high net set on a "s" bend in the meandering creek. Nothing terribly earth shattering here, though a nicely positioned bat bug was compliant throughout a photo session. Dave and I was joined by Jason Miller of the USFWS. We all went to set up Dave's new site together, a very nice embayment-like wetland just a few hundred feet off the Kanawah mainstem. As the ticks were almost as abundant as the poision ivy, I didn't stay all that long. Dave and Jason watched bats forage in the area, though none blundered into the seven nets which were erected.

		Above: A big brown near Buffalo. Look at those chompers! Left: A representative "bat bug" parasite, commonly found in communal bat areas such as bat houses and attics. These bugs seem to overwinter in attics when bats are not present, though they do not prey on humans.