Desert burrow structure questions

Edan bandoot

Arachnoprince
Joined
Sep 5, 2019
Messages
1,600
I'm planning a trip to a local desert and prairie, and I'm wondering how to identify the different burrows.

I know geolycosa make turrets around their burrows, but that's about it.

I'm also hoping to see Heterodon nasicus and Opheodrys vernalis, but I don't have much experience herping in this habitat.

Any tips or info appreciated
 

The Snark

Dumpster Fire of the Gods
Old Timer
Joined
Aug 8, 2005
Messages
11,048
Very specific to what local animals there are plus the environment materials present and then modified by the overall local flora. I spent a couple of weeks studying the various holes and burrows over a couple of acres of high desert in California which only has a small fraction of the variables you will encounter and comparatively few species of animals. Tarantula hawks and scorpion tunnels were pretty obvious but most of the terrain, no soil, just decomposed granite, just confused me. Then to make things worse some animals shared or stole each others holes and burrows

Best of luck. Consider making a photo documentary?
 

Edan bandoot

Arachnoprince
Joined
Sep 5, 2019
Messages
1,600
Very specific to what local animals there are plus the environment materials present and then modified by the overall local flora. I spent a couple of weeks studying the various holes and burrows over a couple of acres of high desert in California which only has a small fraction of the variables you will encounter and comparatively few species of animals. Tarantula hawks and scorpion tunnels were pretty obvious but most of the terrain, no soil, just decomposed granite, just confused me. Then to make things worse some animals shared or stole each others holes and burrows

Best of luck. Consider making a photo documentary?
I'll definitely photograph everything, but whether I end up sharing it is up to how lazy I am on the day of.
 
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