# 1st trip of '07: Successful!



## KUJordan (Apr 11, 2007)

I decided to step out to my favorite spot south of Fredonia, KS this past sunday.  It had been raining all weekend and was very damp everywhere.  It was ~68degF when I went to the spot.  

I only flipped around 25 rocks, but with much more success than I have ever had there this early in the spring.  The 3rd rock I flipped yielded this young beauty:







A few rocks later I flipped a gigantic (~6-7") _S. h. castanieceps_!  These guys don't sit for long at all when their cover is lifted, so I didn't get any pics of either of the two _S.h.c_'s I found this trip.  I wasn't looking to collect them either.

Next was a promising rock that yielded this very large _S. polymorpha_, which was one of two large ones for the trip:







Under this same rock was this large (3") spider (thinking Dolomedes sp.):







Also, under this exact same rock, was this beautiful (but very angry) _P. emoryi _(great plains ratsnake):































I've never seen a g.p.r at this spot before, so I was pretty stoked.  I then found this male _C. vittatus_, which turned out to be one of very many:







I also flipped a few pieces of treebark that was laying on the ground and found this beautiful juvie _L. mactans_:





and this crazy Thomisidae?






I also saw this crazy goofy dog running around in the water.  Funny, I didn't know boxers liked water this much...!






And the last find of the day was this little flathead snake, _Tantilla gracilis_, and I do mean little:












thanks for lookin'!


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## gunslinger (Apr 11, 2007)

Ok now its getting crazy!  I never would have thought all of these things from Kansas in such a short span. SHows what i know.  I mean what is this 4 threads of me dying of jealousy now   Especially that uber nice Dolomedes.

Keep the goods coming, its like I get a vacation every time!


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## galeogirl (Apr 11, 2007)

Awesome finds!  I need to strong-arm someone into going out buggin' with me, preferably someone who's better with a camera than I am.


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## brandontmyers (Apr 12, 2007)

did you catch any of the c. vittatus:}


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## padkison (Apr 12, 2007)

Nice photos :clap:


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## KUJordan (Apr 12, 2007)

Lokal said:


> did you catch any of the c. vittatus:}



No, I have a nice colony at home and they are a dime a dozen all over Kansas.  There are a few places I know of that you find more C. vittatus than you do any insect!  You find them by the dozens.

Why?  Do you want some?


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## brandontmyers (Apr 12, 2007)

yeah i would love some....haha...i know they occur towards the mountains of NC, but its not a given they are there because they are introduced, but if you have some time and wanna grab me some let me know...haha


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## lucanidae (Apr 12, 2007)

I think it might be a Philodromid instead of a Thomissid.


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## ShadowBlade (Apr 13, 2007)

lucanidae said:


> I think it might be a Philodromid instead of a Thomissid.


I agree, too few spines.

-Sean


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## Dorcus (Apr 14, 2007)

Nice finds... Wish there were some here in NJ as well... ^^


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