10-25-08 Red Centipede a.k.a "Rad Centipede"

Upon turning over a stone, some of the Future Scientists discovered a rad centipede. For images of similar centipedes, you can check http://bugguide.net/node/view/21/bgimage.

This centipede was a "soil centipede", which describes the order Geophilomorpha, meaning "ground lover dude" to those in the know. Unlike some other centipedes, soil centipedes completely lack eyes. Instead, they blindly cruise worm-holes, hunting for other tiny, bumbling, not terribly bright creatures. The soil centipedes are also unique in that they take care of their eggs and constantly lick them to prevent fungi from growing. Uncared for eggs usually mold and rot away.

In general, centipedes can be distinguished from millipedes by having only one pair of legs per body segment, whereas millipedes have two. Centipedes have a pair of venomous jaws for catching prey, whereas millipedes are not venomous, and mostly feed on decaying organic matter. The millipedes may occasionally secrete noxious substances such as cyanide, but this is unlikely to be harmful to a human handling the many-legged bugger (but don't lick the millipede!).

10-25-08 Mystery Worm

Some of the Future Scientists may have seen the mystery worm collected by the group's intrepid leader.

Upon further review, this worm was a "hammerhead worm" or a "land planarian".

The sample picture is from the University of Florida site http://creatures.ifas.ufl.edu/misc/land_planarians.htm. There, you can read more about the natural history of this worm, and how it would totally crush an earthworm in a fight.

Just as a teaser to read more: the land planarian has an interesting primary form of reproduction - it rips off its butt and the nubbin grows a head and becomes a new worm. Check it out!

10-25-08 Cuyahoga Valley National Park

The Future Scientists explored the towpath trail around Station Bridge and the ledges on the Virginia Kendall side of the park. Many birds were spotted, including a belted kingfisher being mobbed by a dinky, unidentified bird. The Future Scientists discovered a great blue heron rookery with a large bald eagle nest in the middle. No one was able to catch a glimpse of the bald eagles "getting it on", despite reports of the raucous activity by other visitors and neighbors.

The Future Scientists had a good herpetological day, despite the late season. Sightings included a large gray treefrog, a redback salamander (leadback phase), and a sluggish northern brown (DeKay's) snake. Many other northern brown snakes were also found, although they were all pronounced dead at the scene, and very two-dimensional. The Future Scientists deduced that bicycled-humans were the likely culprits to the flattened reptiles.

Many caves, crevasses (use French pronounciation) and good scrambling areas were explored by the Future Scientists at the ledges. An improvised rock slide left proud mud stains on many a Future Scientist's gluteal area.

A camera will be available to document next week's interesting findings, mystery organisms, butt stains and other misadventures.