Probably this is one of those times I wouldn't enjoy lazy days.
Luckily, we aren't having any. Field work started bright and early
again today, as usual. I was happy to hear the sound of howler monkeys
in the distance as I shuffled around the Toucan Cabin porch, rubbing
the sleep out of my eyes. Their roaring sounded like the herald to a
good day for us.
After this auspicious start and some field work with Hector, we made our way to breakfast when, just before I sat to eat, I was stung by a wasp. How Nick put up with five stings last year is beyond me, but with some ice and a lime (a Costa Rican trick, I'm assuming), I hardly noticed the itch after a few minutes. Breakfast was, as always, delicious, and, having some warm coffee in our bellies, we headed off for the even warmer volcano...
...and wow! what a visit. I was equally excited to see this wasp:
She's a digger wasp, related to the very wasps that curious naturalist,
Niko Tinbergen himself would have studied (albeit in Germany). How
exciting to see the same preparation behavior when these wasps were
leaving their nests! I suppose I show my true colors here.
Arenal was apparently having a little bit of acid reflux, and we were fortunate enough to be there to help him through it. Here, Hector is looking quite serious, maybe because he doesn't understand that if you're on the near side of the danger sign, that mean's you MUST be safe...
After this auspicious start and some field work with Hector, we made our way to breakfast when, just before I sat to eat, I was stung by a wasp. How Nick put up with five stings last year is beyond me, but with some ice and a lime (a Costa Rican trick, I'm assuming), I hardly noticed the itch after a few minutes. Breakfast was, as always, delicious, and, having some warm coffee in our bellies, we headed off for the even warmer volcano...
...and wow! what a visit. I was equally excited to see this wasp:
She's a digger wasp, related to the very wasps that curious naturalist,
Niko Tinbergen himself would have studied (albeit in Germany). How
exciting to see the same preparation behavior when these wasps were
leaving their nests! I suppose I show my true colors here.Arenal was apparently having a little bit of acid reflux, and we were fortunate enough to be there to help him through it. Here, Hector is looking quite serious, maybe because he doesn't understand that if you're on the near side of the danger sign, that mean's you MUST be safe...
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