LIZARDS, SPIDERS AND OTHER BUGS

Ctenotus regius

In the afternoon checked the traps. Found assorted skinks and young dragons, as well as numerous scorpions and spiders. Back at camp had time for a coffee before heading back out for a night of telemetry. Arrived at my station and Bonny helped me set up. Began the first lots of readings shortly after at 10.20. Halfway through these readings I started to get a lot of static. As I went to reset the dials I got an electrical shock of the set. There was also a close clap of lightning and it was decided to abort until the weather cleared. Jennifer headed back to check the radar and I went to sleep in the van. 

I awoke, checked the clock and found it was after 5 in the morning. I couldn’t raise the others on the radio so I headed back to camp as I had to go and check the traps at 6.30. When I arrived at camp I was surprised there was no activity. Surprised until I went in the kitchen and found the clock said 2.15. I tried the radio again and found Jennifer was doing the next check on the lightning. Sheepishly I followed her back out to my station. We did a round of checks about 3.30 and then again just after 5.00 before I headed back into camp again.

Pogona vitticeps

Our team had changed a little. Tony had left and gone home. He does a lot of volunteer work, usually with turtle nesting sites, so maybe he just didn't like lizards? When we went out this morning Mel came with us. She is here at the sanctuary doing research on Beauty ants. I have seen some of her photos and they are amazing (I will try to post some later). Because it had rained for a good part of the night there were only a few lizards in the traps this morning. There were a lot of spiders and a few millipedes.

Rhynchoedura ornata