Today was my first real day training on the CCMG's microscope. JT, my trainer (a retired Army veterinarian/Special Forces colonel) showed me the ropes. He handed me a wet bag of what was an apricot branch, heavily infested with small, sticky black insects. "What is that bug and how do I get rid of it?" said the note attached to the plastic baggie in which the apricot branch lay. JT was a little dumb-founded, too, but as he looked through the various microscopes had the insect narrowed down to a soft-bodied sap sucker.
I was next to him leafing through the reference books--and there are many in the office--going through all the photographs of dark soft-bodied sap suckers. He gave up on a positive identification (PID) and went on to another bug question. I remained with the wet apricot branch, enjoying seeing the micro world up close and getting flashbacks to my zoology/botany courses from high school. I wasn't about to leave the office without a a PID on the bug and went through all the books available.
The bugs had been in the plastic baggie for several days and were dead. The bodies were dried up and distorted, which made the diagnosis even harder. At least we didn't have live bugs crawling around the office, though.
Two hours later I told JT "I think it's an aphid. Look at the humps on the butt area, its long swooping backward antennae..." and showed him.
JT googled my description and a few minutes later replied "I think you're right!" and called the lady whose apricot was infested with our diagnosis. There are over 2000 species of aphids and there's practically an aphid for every plant out there.
JT also gave me a few other bug samples and asked me what the bugs were. One was a cactus bug that I thought resembled a squash bug. It turns out the bugs are related anyway, so JT was pleased with my answer. JT has himself a motivated trainee!
I stayed from 9:20am until 1pm, and before I left I reminded JT that I am EAGER to learn more about bugs and regional plant life, that the hours and days are no problem until the fall when I go back to school, etc. I meant it. I enjoy poking around dead bugs and the smell of wet fungus doesn't bother me. Apparently there are few volunteers who are willing to spend time on bug and plant PID. Not me!
JT even liked some of the photos I've taken of bugs in the area and downloaded some to the master computer, to be used in slides for later classes. He was pleased with my Canon Rebel xTi that I've been using for snapshots while hiking; my better camera is still the Canon 30D that's still packed up and heavily protected.
I'll be back next week for another round.
I was next to him leafing through the reference books--and there are many in the office--going through all the photographs of dark soft-bodied sap suckers. He gave up on a positive identification (PID) and went on to another bug question. I remained with the wet apricot branch, enjoying seeing the micro world up close and getting flashbacks to my zoology/botany courses from high school. I wasn't about to leave the office without a a PID on the bug and went through all the books available.
The bugs had been in the plastic baggie for several days and were dead. The bodies were dried up and distorted, which made the diagnosis even harder. At least we didn't have live bugs crawling around the office, though.
Two hours later I told JT "I think it's an aphid. Look at the humps on the butt area, its long swooping backward antennae..." and showed him.
JT googled my description and a few minutes later replied "I think you're right!" and called the lady whose apricot was infested with our diagnosis. There are over 2000 species of aphids and there's practically an aphid for every plant out there.
JT also gave me a few other bug samples and asked me what the bugs were. One was a cactus bug that I thought resembled a squash bug. It turns out the bugs are related anyway, so JT was pleased with my answer. JT has himself a motivated trainee!
I stayed from 9:20am until 1pm, and before I left I reminded JT that I am EAGER to learn more about bugs and regional plant life, that the hours and days are no problem until the fall when I go back to school, etc. I meant it. I enjoy poking around dead bugs and the smell of wet fungus doesn't bother me. Apparently there are few volunteers who are willing to spend time on bug and plant PID. Not me!
JT even liked some of the photos I've taken of bugs in the area and downloaded some to the master computer, to be used in slides for later classes. He was pleased with my Canon Rebel xTi that I've been using for snapshots while hiking; my better camera is still the Canon 30D that's still packed up and heavily protected.
I'll be back next week for another round.
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