What's Crawling around the Desert at Night

Find out how desert organisms avoid typically high, frequently lethal, daytime temperatures by adapting to a nocturnal way of life. This field trip is easy walking but be sure to wear sturdy hiking shoes. Bring flashlights (preferably 1 white and 1 UV), water, and a camera. Meet at the Visitor’s Center at the Tom Mays Unit of Franklin Mountains State Park. (MAP) Buy a park pass ahead of time.

Learning objectives for this event:

Participants will :

1.  Gain an understanding of the local ecology. Topics included are energy flow through systems, trophic levels, food webs, and an introduction to acoustic ecology.

 2.  Learn how environmental conditions in deserts determine activity cycles of living organisms.

 3.  Observe organisms, such as scorpions, spiders, and others that are perceived to be extremely dangerous, and learn the facts, as opposed to the mythology, surrounding such organisms.

 4.  Gain an understanding of the importance of invertebrates, mostly insects, to the maintenance of a healthy biosphere.

Junior Version:

1.  Learn how energy, and nutrients, allow the diversity of living things to happen. And how animals use sound to find homes and mates.

2.  Learn how living things adapt to the harsh conditions found in deserts.

3.  Find out why some animals people think are really dangerous, such as scorpions and spiders, aren’t as scary as people think.

4.  Learn why insects are the most important animals on the planet for supporting the rest of us.

Meet at the Visitor’s Center of the Tom Mays Unit of the Franklin Mountains State Park. Purchase your park pass HERE. The event is open to 20 - 25 persons only. Please make reservations.

For more information, contact Dr. Paul Hyder, 915-244-5322, phyder@zianet.com.