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- Dec 8, 2005
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As some of you may be aware, I have been collecting millipedes here in the SE and selling them on this forum. I thought I would share some tips to help keep you safe in the woods should you try your hand at this fascinating and rewarding activity.
Some things you may find besides millipedes while raking through the leaves in the forest.
Ticks
These interesting little creatures abound in the woods during the summer. They are fairly easy to collect, just peel off your clothes when you get home, grab a hand mirror and begin your exploration of every crevice and square inch of your body. Ticks can be removed without harming the little guy by careful use of tweezers. Feeding ticks is easy as long as you have an excess of warm blooded pets in your house. Unfortunately, there does not seem to be much of a demand for ticks in the invertebrate enthusiast world. Note if you develop rashes or fevers a day or two after plucking yourself, you may have collected one of the pathogens from the tick that cause Lyme Disease, Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, etc.
Copperheads
These colorful charming vipers are ubiquitous in the SE US. Unfortunately their color is the same as the color of the dead hardwood leaves you will be raking through. Because one rakes toward ones body, it is not unheard of to rake one of these guys out of the leaves and onto your ankles. If this happens, do not panic! Calmly flail your legs as rapidly as possible. With luck you will fling the snake far away from you and not up around your shoulders. Whatever you do, as the adrenaline courses through your body, do not attack the snake! I have found that in any iffy situation in life, as your blood fills with "fight or flight" hormones, it is better to flee. One can also invest in a pair of knee length thick leather boots which will help keep your lower legs free from puncture marks. The downside with these is they tend become sopping wet with sweat during our 90 degree summer days.
Ground Hornets
What can I say about these lovely little b#@%*rds without getting myself penalized by the moderators? One will occasionally stir up a nest of these striped stingers. Remember what I said about "fight or flight". If you're quick enough, you can escape with only a few stings. Be careful as you're running through the woods with your rake and your bucket not to snag your rake on a vine or run into a tree or a patch of jagger bushes. Those knee length leather boots will really slow you down in this situation. If you drop your bucket or rake, you may have to come back at night when the hornets are sleeping to retrieve them.
Poison Ivy
This viney plant grows in patches in the woods wherever it can get some sun. You may be kneeling in the dead leaves wiping sweat from your forehead and look up to see that you are surrounded by this 3-leaved plant and have been crawling through it for some time in your zest to collect those millipedes. Keep a good supply of steroid cream at home for these occasions. If you've been wearing your knee boots, the rash should not go below your knees.
Mosquitos
Plenty of these out there too. They are not so bad except when they carry West Nile Virus and Eastern Equine Encephalitis. DEET combined with cussing and swatting works to keep bites to a minimum.
Ant Nests
There are bunches of these under the leaves. Usually the little guys will grab their maggoty little babies and make a run for it when disturbed. However, the occasional macho ant or two does not subscribe to my interpretation of the "fight or flight" syndrome. They will then crawl onto your hand, grab a fold of skin with their little pinchers and squeeze for all they're worth. Since they are already attached to me, I don't try to run from them and reluctantly crush the life from their bodies.
Spider Webs
Walking through the woods with your head down to watch your footing leads one to walk face first into spider webs. Sometimes the inhabitant gets wedged in the collar of your shirt and in its irritation will bite you. This can be avoided by going shirtless. However, this can increase the number of mosquito bites one gets.
Walking from the woods to your car shirtless with sweat soaked knee boots covered with insect bites and carrying your rake and bucket will cause people to stare at you. Showing them your middle finger will remedy this. WARNING! This does NOT work with police officers!
So far, that's what I have learned out there in the woods of the south. Feel free to add any helpful tips you have noted in your experiences gathering invertebrates in the wild.
Some things you may find besides millipedes while raking through the leaves in the forest.
Ticks
These interesting little creatures abound in the woods during the summer. They are fairly easy to collect, just peel off your clothes when you get home, grab a hand mirror and begin your exploration of every crevice and square inch of your body. Ticks can be removed without harming the little guy by careful use of tweezers. Feeding ticks is easy as long as you have an excess of warm blooded pets in your house. Unfortunately, there does not seem to be much of a demand for ticks in the invertebrate enthusiast world. Note if you develop rashes or fevers a day or two after plucking yourself, you may have collected one of the pathogens from the tick that cause Lyme Disease, Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, etc.
Copperheads
These colorful charming vipers are ubiquitous in the SE US. Unfortunately their color is the same as the color of the dead hardwood leaves you will be raking through. Because one rakes toward ones body, it is not unheard of to rake one of these guys out of the leaves and onto your ankles. If this happens, do not panic! Calmly flail your legs as rapidly as possible. With luck you will fling the snake far away from you and not up around your shoulders. Whatever you do, as the adrenaline courses through your body, do not attack the snake! I have found that in any iffy situation in life, as your blood fills with "fight or flight" hormones, it is better to flee. One can also invest in a pair of knee length thick leather boots which will help keep your lower legs free from puncture marks. The downside with these is they tend become sopping wet with sweat during our 90 degree summer days.
Ground Hornets
What can I say about these lovely little b#@%*rds without getting myself penalized by the moderators? One will occasionally stir up a nest of these striped stingers. Remember what I said about "fight or flight". If you're quick enough, you can escape with only a few stings. Be careful as you're running through the woods with your rake and your bucket not to snag your rake on a vine or run into a tree or a patch of jagger bushes. Those knee length leather boots will really slow you down in this situation. If you drop your bucket or rake, you may have to come back at night when the hornets are sleeping to retrieve them.
Poison Ivy
This viney plant grows in patches in the woods wherever it can get some sun. You may be kneeling in the dead leaves wiping sweat from your forehead and look up to see that you are surrounded by this 3-leaved plant and have been crawling through it for some time in your zest to collect those millipedes. Keep a good supply of steroid cream at home for these occasions. If you've been wearing your knee boots, the rash should not go below your knees.
Mosquitos
Plenty of these out there too. They are not so bad except when they carry West Nile Virus and Eastern Equine Encephalitis. DEET combined with cussing and swatting works to keep bites to a minimum.
Ant Nests
There are bunches of these under the leaves. Usually the little guys will grab their maggoty little babies and make a run for it when disturbed. However, the occasional macho ant or two does not subscribe to my interpretation of the "fight or flight" syndrome. They will then crawl onto your hand, grab a fold of skin with their little pinchers and squeeze for all they're worth. Since they are already attached to me, I don't try to run from them and reluctantly crush the life from their bodies.
Spider Webs
Walking through the woods with your head down to watch your footing leads one to walk face first into spider webs. Sometimes the inhabitant gets wedged in the collar of your shirt and in its irritation will bite you. This can be avoided by going shirtless. However, this can increase the number of mosquito bites one gets.
Walking from the woods to your car shirtless with sweat soaked knee boots covered with insect bites and carrying your rake and bucket will cause people to stare at you. Showing them your middle finger will remedy this. WARNING! This does NOT work with police officers!
So far, that's what I have learned out there in the woods of the south. Feel free to add any helpful tips you have noted in your experiences gathering invertebrates in the wild.
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