# T.I.T.T.I.E.S. West Texas Trip 2008 photo thead



## Texas Blonde

Hey everyone, here is the official thread for the T.I.T.T.I.E.S. West Texas trip.  We had an absolute blast!  Best vacation ever!  And the scenery was amazing...beyond amazing.  It was so beautiful it was unreal.  My pics are taking forever to upload, so Ill just start this thread for those who are ready to post pics, and get mine up as soon as I can.

Share away!


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## funnylori

I'll start with a few views from Big Bend. Many many many more to come. 





































Scott took this one.


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## funnylori

The window. Honestly, the photos do not do justice to the scale of it.






Mike and Jim (drasar)












We saw a ton of these neet bugs. They like to feed on the Agave.


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## funnylori

My favorite photo from the whole trip... The hike to the window was amazing. This was a real treat near the end of the trail.


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## Texas Blonde

Ugg!  I already miss that place so much!  It was heartbreaking to leave!  

That pic of Scott is awesome.  Im scared to see what pics you might have gotten of me!


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## funnylori

I know... *whines* I want to go back so bad! 

I only got good ones of you.  













Josh. *no he didn't eat it.*


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## funnylori

When I wasn't taking pictures of the scenery... I was taking pictures of the scenery.  All the photos so far are from Big Bend.  I got so many. 



















At the ranch.


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## funnylori

Jared in A. modoratum country.






Don't look at the speedometer...  It was tame then.






I like Agave.






Marfa lights were ousted by some awesome lightning.


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## funnylori

Me at the ranch. 






At the ranch I think.






Scott at the ranch.






The park near Ft. Davis


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## hentzi 222

*cool!!*

looks like you had a great time!!!!


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## Texas Blonde

Finally ready to post my first batch of pictures.  The guest ranch we stayed at was amazing, we had a really private group of cabins, and an amazing view.  So Ill start with pics from there.


View from the cabins.







Scott found a nice place to pass out in our front yard.







A beautiful Aphonopelma sp we found at the ranch, not far from our rooms.







The day after we got there we went hiking in Davis Mountain State Park.  Here is one of the incredible views.







This seemed to be the theme of the trip.  Except for Benedict Arnold.  He got away scott free _both_ times.







Lori in Judge Roy Beans bar/courthouse in Langtry, Tx.







Kevin was the victim of a particularly nasty yukka plant.


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## Texas Blonde

Jared overlooking the Pecos River.  







Its really low this year, down several feet from last year.  Up until this trip, W Tx hadnt had any rain.  Then the people from Oregon brought it with them.  ;P 







Said person from Oregon.


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## funnylori

More from the park






Flowering Agave






And an A. modoratum from a super secret spot.






And a few shots of the town of Ft. Davis to round out my lot for today. More will come I can promise that.


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## Texas Blonde

Here are some of the pics from our Aphonopelma moderatum hunt.  We were wildly successful.

Kristen with a moderatum she found.







Lori with another gorgeous girl.







Josh with one he found.


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## josh_r

what an ugly spider :liar: 

the trip looked like a blast. did u guys find any herps??


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## funnylori

Okay, I lied. I found three more.

All are in Big Bend. I took the group photos.  You can even see that I'm in them... Sorta.


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## Texas Blonde

Some more pics from the Davis Mountains State Park.













Another picture of our wonderful State Troopers.







At the cabins.







Scary, I know.


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## Mr. Mordax

I found a moderatum, too!  







I don't think I'll post a lot of pictures, as Lori took the majority of them . . . she's better with the camera.


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## Texas Blonde

IHeartMantids said:


> I found a moderatum, too!



Awe...Bleeker your so cute when your excited.


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## Canth

I guess it's about time I post some pics! I'll try to remember what order stuff happened lol. 

Sky and I went to Seminole Canyon before meeting up with the others






These little guys were everywhere! Under just about every eave on most buildings






Sky cooling off in the sprinklers. It was 101F that day!






We stopped at Buzz's rattlesnake museum. It was really cool! Sadly, most of my pics turned out not-so-great. But I did get these few.

Brian standing outside the museum






Buzz had a really nice red C. atrox on display






This was probably my favorite critter Buzz had...






Yep...A. mooreae!






Ok I've given up on chronological order lol. 

These are all from Davis Mountain State Park





















This is just to show off my new camera's zoom lol. I'm kind of proud of it.

Sky at the lookout 






Taken standing on the spot as the previous picture. Can you see her?






There she is!







To be continued....


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## Rick McJimsey

Nice pics everybody!
that A.mooreae is a looker for sure  

-Rick


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## Sr. Chencho

*Beautiful Scenery.*

Wow, wonderful pictures. These pictures bring back memories when I lived in Presidio, Tex. It appears that we missed a great outing with you guys. I am looking forward for more and more pictures. Keep them coming and thanks a bunch for sharing with those of us that just dreamed of going.

Fredster
Lean, not as mean,
Still, US Marine!


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## Canth

These are from our successful A. moderatum hunt

Josh extracting his first(?) A. moderatum






Kristen (Josh's wife) 






Mike with his prize! He was so happy after that it was hillarious
Edited for confidentiality, but I got a little carried away and liked the effect.







Just some random A. moderatum someone flooded, I think maybe Sky.






A. moderatum chillin by her burrow






To be cont'd with Big Bend pics...


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## syndicate

omg those moderatum are sooo nice! :drool: 
wish i could have gone!looked like a great time


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## Mr. Mordax

Great shots, Jared!  Those moderatum have started to get me a little more into Ts.  



Texas Blonde said:


> Awe...Bleeker your so cute when your excited.


You can call me Paulie.


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## Scott C.

Hey all. Here are some shots....



































































Hope someone got a better pic of this cool little thing...






Looks like _moderatum_ has been covered pretty well, which is good because I had no intentions of making the one I found cooperate, so here is a pic of the untouched burrow...






























































































































The trip was great fun due as much the wonderful company as the beautiful scenery... Texas kicks ass, and bug people rock  

I'm going ghost for a while, but I'll be around.

Cheers folks,
Scott


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## drasar

Fantastic shots Scott...was I the only one who saw this...
	

		
			
		

		
	

View attachment 72385


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## What

Here are some of my photos from the trip... I probably should have taken about 10 times as many but hey, I was having too much fun.  

Longhorn Beetle from the first night






One of the many mantids we found on the ranch(Yersinops sp.)






A trapjaw ant, many starting colonies were found under rocks






Sky taking a photo of a one winged butterfly






A really cool longhorn beetle munching on some yucca






A wasp mimic mantidfly(click to enlarge)


Really cool beetle






Sky and Jared(TexasBlonde and Canth) at the window






Some landscape photos:


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## drasar

*few more*

Okay here's a few more I had worth posting...[/ATTACH][/ATTACH]


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## Mr. Mordax

I wish I'd known there were mantidflies there!  I would have LOVED to see one.


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## Gesticulator

WOW.
I am sooooooo jealous. 
Amazing pictures.


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## Canth

These are the last of my pics. Well...until I get pics of the critters I found 

These are all from our Big Bend hike unless otherwise stated.

Driving up there











This is all scenery visible from the trail


























I've never really seen a flowering cactus before this so I thought I'd snag a pic. 






A male C. vittatus found somewhere on the trail by either Josh or Mike






NOTE: We did NOT collect anything in the park

Sky (Kevin behind her) and Brian (i think) to the right






Back to scenery





































Sky found a one winged butterfly and we all stopped to take pics











The path to the window...






We have arrived
















As we were leaving the park. Both pics taken within a few minutes of each other.











Then there's these few which I forgot to include in my other 2 posts

Scott after he climbed some rocks











My first time seeing a real saguaro






The fastest Josh's rent-a-car would go. And we still didn't catch up with Sky  






Mike's encounter with a yucca






A Loxosceles sp. I guess it's L. recluse. I wasn't sure it was one till I saw the picture and noticed the eye pattern.






Hope y'all enjoy!! I can't wait to go back. Only 11 more months.

EDIT: Just noticed there's a small spider in the bottom left corner. I think that was the male


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## dunawayj

Very nice pics. Have a trip planned in October and will be there for a week. This will be my first trip to Big Bend. Any suggested must see spots?


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## What

You really *need* to hike down to "The Window".


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## Mr. Mordax

Canth said:


> Mike's encounter with a yucca
> [pic]


I was waiting for that pic to show up!  

I found another memory card with pics from the last day on it -- including the downpour while rock-flipping and Eddleweis.  Hopefully I can post those tonight.


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## Canth

What said:


> You really *need* to hike down to "The Window".


The trail was called The Window Trail I think. But yeah, you definitely NEED to go on that one. It's a 5 mile hike and totally worth it.

The rock flipping day was insane! More stuff was found that day than any other day.


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## What

It is only 2.5mi in...the 5mi part is round trip. Just to be clear.


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## Mr. Mordax

Yeah, I don't think anyone's going to hike to the end and just call it good.  

Jared, I neglected to mention that those were some awesome shots of the window you posted -- even better than the ones I saw standing there!

My contributions coming soon . . .


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## Mr. Mordax

Alrighty, here they are.  Who can guess what this first pic is of?






Here's a couple group pictures of us enjoying some fine Texan cuisine:












Here's a couple of the scorpions we found.  The IDs were confirmed by Kari McWest.  _Diplocentrus lindo_:






_Paruroctonus gracilior_:






_Vaejovis coahuilae_:






I think the last day we found more stuff than on the rest of the trip combined (I also think we flipped every rock at the ranch!).

Rain?  What rain?






This rock had at least four vinegaroons under it.


















I had never seen a Solfugid before this trip; here's two:












A snake that Josh found:












Velvet ant:






Josh's newest leading lady: (Watch out, Kristen!)






Brown recluse and an exuvium: (Never seen one of those, either)






After the rain that us crazy Oregonians brought down:






And of course, my favorite way to end the trip:






Randomness:  Who likes Prada?  The Marfa Prada store is happy to serve you.


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## funnylori

Ahaaaaa! Buzz's snakes from his museum.


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## funnylori




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## funnylori




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## myrmecophile

Good stuff. The little snake is a blackheaded snake. Good find. I have to say Im not impressed with the condition of the rattlesnake enclosures.


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## tarcan

Great pictures everyone, thanks for sharing!!

We all wish we would have been there!

Martin


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## Mr. Mordax

myrmecophile said:


> I have to say Im not impressed with the condition of the rattlesnake enclosures.


By all means, reach in and clean them.


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## myrmecophile

LOL, Well if your gonna keep the snakes you have to take proper care of them including cleaning. In addition at least one of those snakes is in need of some feeding, it is unhealthily thin.


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## What

While I agree the cages could have used some cleaning, the snakes were almost all in good health(one was recovering from a respiratory infection). I personally did not notice any under-fed snakes...


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## xchondrox

I love that Tiger Rattler (4th snake pic) they've always been my favorite rattler!


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## Nerri1029

JUST WOW .. the scenery alone is amazing.

WISH I could have gone


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## GoTerps

Thanks for sharing the photos everyone!  Wish I could have made it!

Eric


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## Mr. Mordax

Josh, where's the pick of that _Aphonopelma sp._ crawling up my face??


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## josh_r

i just got back from texas. i saw way too many things. more tarantulas than i care to count and scorpions.. just too much. i also hiked out a bairds rat snake, 2 copperheads, and later that same night out in some flats, found 2 subocularis. west texas has some amazing animals. 

-josh


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## Travis K

OK I wanna go next year!


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## What

Bit late I know, but I just got around to taking pics of some stuff...


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## Scott C.

Nice pics Kev... I gotta throw some more up too... The big wolf is stroll'n 'round with a big sac


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## josh_r

What said:


> While I agree the cages could have used some cleaning, the snakes were almost all in good health(one was recovering from a respiratory infection). *I personally did not notice any under-fed snakes..*.


really.... im guessing you didnt take a look at the sidewinders.......


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## What

Of the 6 sidewinders I have found at different times of the year, they were all at about the same level of feeding as those snakes. So yes, I did look at the sidewinders, but no I dont think they are underfed.


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## XMX

VERY nice pic's you guys have there.

Nice species as well.


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## dannax

Awesome pics guys! Looked like a lot of fun. What's with the Prada store in the middle of, nothing? Hah! Too bad I'm leaving Texas soon!:wall:


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## Scott C.

Haha... that's what I was asking, so Sky fillled us in... It's a sealed off art exhibit... There's a small town nearby full of cooky artists


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## dannax

Do they sit around a campfire and live in a colony?


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## Scott C.

hahahahaha... Seriously though, it was a quaint little town, with some nice characters.


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## Mr. Mordax

. . . and its own "mystery lights."


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## dannax

Fill me in on these "mystery lights" that you speak of.

I live in North Texas and there are plenty of towns that are nice and small. One of them proudly displays their "Peckerwoods Jerky" and "Featherwoods Candles" - Nice stuff...:liar: Oh, I should also include the sign, so proudly displayed that says "Don't let the sun go down on your bl*** a**!" :wall: I can't wait to be out of Texas.

But, where you guys went looks awesome. I never spent any time over there except when I drove to Colorado and then I was just passing through. Maybe one day I'll go out there. I'm jealous but I'm still wondering about the "mystery lights" -


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## Mr. Mordax

Marfa "mystery lights."

I didn't see anything so I just went blacklighting with a few others.


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## MizM

Oh. My. God. Those are some really awesome photos.

I couldn't make the trip, so I really enjoyed the pics.

Next year, I will most definitely be there. My company is offering us generous severance packages to leave, so I'm getting out NOW and we should be on our way to TX by the middle of September. CA is dying and it's time to get out.

So... what are the dates for NEXT year's trip so I can put it on my calendar?


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## Scott C.

MizM said:


> ...... CA is dying and it's time to get out......


She's not dying T, and she'll miss you, as will anyone else who knows ya.

Good luck in Texas!


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## Texas Blonde

MizM said:


> Oh. My. God. Those are some really awesome photos.
> 
> I couldn't make the trip, so I really enjoyed the pics.
> 
> Next year, I will most definitely be there. My company is offering us generous severance packages to leave, so I'm getting out NOW and we should be on our way to TX by the middle of September. CA is dying and it's time to get out.
> 
> So... what are the dates for NEXT year's trip so I can put it on my calendar?




YES YES YES YES YES!!!!  Ohmygod!  Im so excited!  Im going to come visit you as soon as you get here!  Im so happy yall are finally getting to move.  Do you have any idea how cool this is!  I cant wait to introduce you to everyone here!

I dont know what the dates for next years trip will be, but Ill let you know as soon as I can.  I want plan anything until I know if there will be an Acon or not.  But expect there to be a late fall, or spring trip.


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## Scott C.

These pics weren't taken in Texas.... but the subject was taken from Texas....

Special thanks to Jared, Josh, and Kevin.... Bug hunter extraordinaires 

You'll dig this guys.... it's the big _Hogna_ I brought home:













Thanks again!

Cheers


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## Canth

Awesome! Good luck with the little demons lol. 

They can climb anything, I've learned. And they escape well lol. I guess they're just like little tarantulas in that aspect. Good luck with em


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## Mr. Mordax

That's awesome, Scott.  

Josh, if you read this, post those pics of the _Aphonopelma sp._ crawling on my face!


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## Galapoheros

The Hognas are huge out there!  Sounds like y'all went all over the place on the trip! ..awesome pics.  I've pulled over at that park spot to see if I could see the Marfa Lights.  I saw it but it really wasn't that exciting.  It looked like a car that was so far away that the headlights just looked like one light that turned white, red and blue.  Well what's that planet that looks like it changes color from here on earth, ...Mars?, I can't remember but it looked like that.


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## Mr. Mordax

Did you check out all the widows along the wall on the north side of the viewing area??

We also found some _P. gracilior_ hiding in those little grassy plants.


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## bigdog999

What does T.I.T.T.I.E.S. stand for?


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## Mr. Mordax

I was about to go and quote the first page, but then I realized we never expanded on that in this thread!  

*T*he *I*inland *T*exas *T*arantula and *I*nvertebrate *E*nthusiast *S*ociety


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## Galapoheros

I was on my way back and felt like I was done since I found what I was after.  I was only after one particular T species, a pede and D. whitei scorps, I was really happy to find them all so I stopped looking for stuff.  Ha, bad attitude!  I thought about looking around the building but I blew it off.  I went to Wiki to read about the marfa lights, I don't see how somebody can think the ball of light is the size of a soccer ball, even if it was several yards away it would be hard to tell how big it is.  What I saw looked like it was miles away.  I think I'm going back out there in Sept to see if I can come across a male T for the female I found last year and look for anything else weird.


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## bigdog999

Thanks, IHeartMantids, I'd looked at the beginning to see if it was expounded on.  Damn, I was hoping for a different meaning


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## Shrike

Wow!  Great pictures.  Thanks for posting!


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## John Apple

josh_r said:


> really.... im guessing you didnt take a look at the sidewinders.......


They were rather bad looking and quite a few were underfed looking. We met Buzz when we were there.. I gotta tell you ...not 5 minutes after leaving his 'museum' we were stopped by fish and game or fish and wildlife or nature cops...they had a green truck.


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## Galapoheros

Hmm, that's interesting.  Was it at night that they stopped you?  If not, that'd seem pretty weird and strict to me.  What did they say?  Did they search the car for reptiles?


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## John Apple

It was in the day ...after lunch or so... not but a few minutes after we left Buzz's place . There is a small creek we were at a mile away from Buzz .They were very accomodating and nice. When they saw we only had inverts they left us alone after they ran our info.
There is a pic of them on alien  ...title of the thread is boss hog and enus.


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## ShellsandScales

IHeartMantids said:


> I was about to go and quote the first page, but then I realized we never expanded on that in this thread!
> 
> *T*he *I*inland *T*exas *T*arantula and *I*nvertebrate *E*nthusiast *S*ociety


How do I become a member?? My wife is from texas and she love T.I.T.T.I.E.S as much as I do!!!


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## Mr. Mordax

I think going on the trip counted as being a member.  :? 

So maybe by going on next year's trip?


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## Canth

Yup, just attend!


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