tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11430808919557013722024-03-21T14:07:09.851+00:00A Zoologist Abroad
A photographic diary for my friend and family and anyone else who stumbles across the adventures of a Zoologist Abroad in my travels whilst attempting to complete my PhD.
I love hearing from you all whilst away so do email or leave me comments about anything you find interesting and why you also think that wasps are awesome!
Follow me on twitter - @emilyfbellAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07582631687301170907noreply@blogger.comBlogger34125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1143080891955701372.post-55458388647124511392014-08-10T09:04:00.000+01:002014-08-10T09:04:13.327+01:00Popup Science at Cairns IUSSI 2014<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
Hello all,<br />
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Firstly apologies for the recent silence it's been all go since arriving in Australia I've not had a moment to write a post, but finally I have some time to share with you about how my Science Communication event went during my trip.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">For those of you who don't know<a href="http://www.popupscience.co.uk/cairns/" target="_blank"> Popup Science </a>is a new science communication event that Seirian Sumner, Chris Wyatt and myself started in Bristol to bring scientists out of their labs and offices and onto the streets to 'popup' and engage with the public about their research.</span><br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">This year Seirian and I took Popup Science with us to our conference (the International Union for the Study of Social Insect) that we were attending in Cairns. Along with our Cairns event co-organiser Tanya Latty from the University of Sydney we ran an afternoon of Popup Science on the Esplanade on the 16th of July. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUlm_vG_vXJ2V5Sbw6hwQWqud_xG7R74_gf8P4eh1miynblWwEOwUED17UyyOQt5DqC4wngQ-ztGxc385xU4EpSKNLyYkAu57azOiLwtBT4NYz6QgXbx7JzQnJxEQxo7tWXt2wesjR3fo/s1600/IMG_1856.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUlm_vG_vXJ2V5Sbw6hwQWqud_xG7R74_gf8P4eh1miynblWwEOwUED17UyyOQt5DqC4wngQ-ztGxc385xU4EpSKNLyYkAu57azOiLwtBT4NYz6QgXbx7JzQnJxEQxo7tWXt2wesjR3fo/s1600/IMG_1856.JPG" height="425" width="640" /></a></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">We had a wonderful team of international scientists from the conference joining us for the event who were brilliant at drawing in a crowd. Although all of our topics were social insect based we covered so many different areas of their fascinating biology. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="http://www.bristol.ac.uk/biology/people/seirian-r-sumner/overview.htm" target="_blank">Seirian</a> and <a href="http://www.bristol.ac.uk/biology/people/person/emily-bell/overview.html" target="_blank">I </a>(University of Bristol) found a local Cairns paper wasp nest to explain why we love our model species and about how much we can learn about social evolution from them. Some friendly rivalry to team wasp arrived with <a href="http://www.nhm.ac.uk/research-curation/about-science/staff-directory/life-sciences/p-eggleton/index.html" target="_blank">Paul Eggleton (NHM London)</a> who was persuading the public why he believes termites are so much more interesting than wasps. </span><br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">The <a href="http://sydney.edu.au/science/biology/socialinsects/" target="_blank">University of Sydney</a> team brought along with them specimens of many of the bees species the group works with in both Australia and around the world as well as some discussion on social slime moulds. The bees were also represented from one of the conferences plenary speakers <a href="http://www.ars.usda.gov/pandp/people/people.htm?personid=10065" target="_blank">Jay Evans (USDA-ARD Bee Research Lab)</a> who was addressing how different genetic approaches could be used in helping to mitigate the current declines in bee populations.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVb2ki3Yg-yopojddt8Zqk-h21Xdo7f8mztYiyzkEz5LcXgHcrKFp3pDuap6x1Tzos0QvaQmt-PYri44FC7Go9E-i6dJk3f2XvXNeoGdnr2XDtTDG_3_YLKdexslELzu9KWlc9mv0uHj4/s1600/IMG_1865.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVb2ki3Yg-yopojddt8Zqk-h21Xdo7f8mztYiyzkEz5LcXgHcrKFp3pDuap6x1Tzos0QvaQmt-PYri44FC7Go9E-i6dJk3f2XvXNeoGdnr2XDtTDG_3_YLKdexslELzu9KWlc9mv0uHj4/s1600/IMG_1865.JPG" height="400" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jay Evans and Tanya Latty trying to 'catch' the publics attention<br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://www.earlham.edu/profile/?id=12248&r=3038&disp=False" target="_blank">Chris Smith (Earham College)</a> was constantly surrounded by the public, getting them to lick the local green weaver ant species, which is completely edible, and gives a nice citrus kick on ones tongue.</span><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbIm9RLnGrdpdw1vesXVyeYxaClaaifnoYQXSv4DGyw1YBFG1064lotWPUUf7_P9DolObE3_p_ZNKsWI3VXDzRQV0tIW3qrnAKgUKPH7GI2nfiaRxe8-8xvJFQSAG39sqgocclziY5mXI/s1600/2014-07-16+08.10.57.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbIm9RLnGrdpdw1vesXVyeYxaClaaifnoYQXSv4DGyw1YBFG1064lotWPUUf7_P9DolObE3_p_ZNKsWI3VXDzRQV0tIW3qrnAKgUKPH7GI2nfiaRxe8-8xvJFQSAG39sqgocclziY5mXI/s1600/2014-07-16+08.10.57.jpg" height="400" width="298" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">People lining up to try a green ant</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH5nxqHnxY6uzzld7jbfLWU8EAF0Umz9xgkh_T4L_970aDKRIh8d9WgBY__dxoi9ZN2EjySMEXDt1wPi2ua4XmCq-WW6KZenycdLqQmdUzactv0h9OSPqmRT3zdBAFjPuNEOCSdceIp_o/s1600/2014-07-16+06.32.57.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH5nxqHnxY6uzzld7jbfLWU8EAF0Umz9xgkh_T4L_970aDKRIh8d9WgBY__dxoi9ZN2EjySMEXDt1wPi2ua4XmCq-WW6KZenycdLqQmdUzactv0h9OSPqmRT3zdBAFjPuNEOCSdceIp_o/s1600/2014-07-16+06.32.57.jpg" height="400" width="298" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The greens ants trying to make their escape</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">More fascinating ants facts about how ants smell and use chemical communication came from our team at the <a href="https://wiki.oulu.fi/display/AntGen/Ant+Genetics" target="_blank">University of Helsinki</a>.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFNsxJGw63N64G35zhpETm6Bmst5TZcRw6NwPvNnQSy9Ukg79V6kKyoiHqwPkYq60T227h1WsHeOnpD1vLNmHouQaU7xu4RpKooobTFKVflam93uAepHEhXDK4ZIAeIKRMAmVJaoquKPY/s1600/IMG_1836.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFNsxJGw63N64G35zhpETm6Bmst5TZcRw6NwPvNnQSy9Ukg79V6kKyoiHqwPkYq60T227h1WsHeOnpD1vLNmHouQaU7xu4RpKooobTFKVflam93uAepHEhXDK4ZIAeIKRMAmVJaoquKPY/s1600/IMG_1836.JPG" height="400" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The girls from Helsinki team ant</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Over the course of 4 hours we spoke to hundreds of people from holiday makers to school groups sharing all of our passion for science with them. Seirian, Tanya and myself would like to thank everyone who took part in our Cairn's Popup Science event and for making it such a successful and fun afternoon.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMSRb8D4HRXYsOrnCvLhXlo42cdK4kMm5xFTXqWLkFs4r9IJ5w7hu9xBwdPiFw-AcEeOS4dZo8S8ECf7tCOKfmSPhcD_uXACB3LEbSv925TfKf8-K44WvZOEOXr2j7a4DBn94FDWh4GfA/s1600/IMG_1954.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMSRb8D4HRXYsOrnCvLhXlo42cdK4kMm5xFTXqWLkFs4r9IJ5w7hu9xBwdPiFw-AcEeOS4dZo8S8ECf7tCOKfmSPhcD_uXACB3LEbSv925TfKf8-K44WvZOEOXr2j7a4DBn94FDWh4GfA/s1600/IMG_1954.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">All of those who took part (fingers crossed I haven't missed anyone!)</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222;">Chris Smith, </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222;">Emily Bell, </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222;">Seirian Sumner, </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222;">Gladys Andino, </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222;">Jay Evans, </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222;">Kirsty Lloyd, </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222;">Sarah Rustage, </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222;">Isobel Ronai, </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222;">Carolina Doran, </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222;">Nadine Chapman, </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222;">Vania Vergoz, </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222;">James Mackinson, </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222;">Chris Reid, </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222;">Tanya Latty, </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222;">Simon Garnier, </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222;">Daej Arab, </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222;">Sam Ellis, </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222;">Claire Narraway, </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222;">Paul Eggleton, </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222;">Jonna Kulmuni, </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222;">Miguel Corona, </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222;">Greg Hunt, </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222;">Heli Havukainen</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222;"><br /></span></span>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCWkuuORdsbOKWNZKHDuDijSZ-QIS9UDlpUDqLsM5DDkXnW7qP0nG6mj_t-DhDsLhwmhIDFhhDYUjd3Eu5aOKNECZFKty-MguiqKGEOJUqetTZveZqrtMLhCsO0XgYpzH2lqg0go61_bU/s1600/2014-07-16+08.26.54.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCWkuuORdsbOKWNZKHDuDijSZ-QIS9UDlpUDqLsM5DDkXnW7qP0nG6mj_t-DhDsLhwmhIDFhhDYUjd3Eu5aOKNECZFKty-MguiqKGEOJUqetTZveZqrtMLhCsO0XgYpzH2lqg0go61_bU/s1600/2014-07-16+08.26.54.jpg" height="478" width="640" /></a></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222;"><br /></span></span>
<br /></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07582631687301170907noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1143080891955701372.post-36205595522430445742014-07-09T17:44:00.000+01:002014-07-09T17:44:06.757+01:00Soapbox Science Bristol and nearly a Zoologist Abroad once more<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb7D3dZ5QNOgaILGUKmFNQEuA1b4hkXfTzmUZBBgqcGtnhOFlgwJ0jBT0y3KOx5XxUKYjI1GB5q3k2XhHGfPtT2nl7eXSpCmSrC17gkt-mIWFSMH6BvndJCr1Vhq2k7Rb63mlTlFdWbfs/s1600/DSC00017.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb7D3dZ5QNOgaILGUKmFNQEuA1b4hkXfTzmUZBBgqcGtnhOFlgwJ0jBT0y3KOx5XxUKYjI1GB5q3k2XhHGfPtT2nl7eXSpCmSrC17gkt-mIWFSMH6BvndJCr1Vhq2k7Rb63mlTlFdWbfs/s1600/DSC00017.JPG" height="356" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
Hello all,<br />
<br />
Well its been nearly a year since my last post on A Zoologist Abroad and for a good reason - I've not been fortune to venture off to exciting parts of the world with work since then.<br />
<br />
But... that is all about to change. This week I am off to Australia to attend my first international conference - the <a href="http://www.iussi2014.com/" target="_blank">International Union of the Study of Social Insects 2014</a>. I will be presenting a poster and a talk about some of the work I have been conducting during my PhD. Whilst at the conference I will be reporting back on the goings of at this event as well sharing with you some great zoological photos and information I found out during my visit to the land down under.<br />
<br />
Before I leave though I wanted share with you all a few photos from an event I took part in a few weeks ago - Soapbox Science Bristol. <a href="http://soapboxscience.org/" target="_blank">Soapbox Science</a> is a science communication event which gets some of the UK's most talented female scientists onto Soapboxes to engage with the public about their work whilst also promoting the role of women in science.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdjX6FwBimahm4kOn32MXExER2YV8jNhH1lFwhezaptgeIIEXcPqoHXz80UK-nwbCJl4b_JjRrPXx8jmMPrFHY0pO5-HELdDLFh5erI-79mKg7g_I1tK1lX_ibtNLhlRWm6iJ3P8OsLJs/s1600/DSC00045.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdjX6FwBimahm4kOn32MXExER2YV8jNhH1lFwhezaptgeIIEXcPqoHXz80UK-nwbCJl4b_JjRrPXx8jmMPrFHY0pO5-HELdDLFh5erI-79mKg7g_I1tK1lX_ibtNLhlRWm6iJ3P8OsLJs/s1600/DSC00045.JPG" height="223" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLKB7lGwrbZEyvCUl0dLPgxmy06W51hYxS7USx_jb3f3BKLjURR-iQEeLCDLgGiolieorHXbzZpjSiRVszNEVgfDKBuNR5kJoXslhrVM6YtrZItL9BXqVVSCqeri3BhhyphenhyphentulwSV6Mj9CQ/s1600/IMG_1368.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLKB7lGwrbZEyvCUl0dLPgxmy06W51hYxS7USx_jb3f3BKLjURR-iQEeLCDLgGiolieorHXbzZpjSiRVszNEVgfDKBuNR5kJoXslhrVM6YtrZItL9BXqVVSCqeri3BhhyphenhyphentulwSV6Mj9CQ/s1600/IMG_1368.JPG" height="266" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My glamorous volunteers!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I must admit just before getting up on my soapbox my stomach was turning circles and I thought "what have I let myself in for" but the second I got up there are started talk about 'How to have a social life - lessons from the wasp' it was a real buzz and the hour just disappeared. My aim was to try and get people to think a little differently about wasps - they are not just creatures who sting and annoy us while sipping a pint at the pub or enjoying a picnic, but vital parts of every ecosystem. They pollinate plants, fantastic predators at removing agricultural pests - not only that but they have an amazing social life that we as humans can learn so much from. Apparently, two young teenagers were heard to leave the soapbox arena saying "wow, wasps are cool" - soapbox challenge completed!<br />
<br />
So watch this space for the continuing adventures of a Zoologist Abroad once more.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBqyXG2e1JLbTe_ecvkMS_Y376NLA6Y11pPKQQWA5BDsdld_x1hjk-w6esU8xI6RLiDw6cjftvAkbmfUqpE2PdN8ogbXFso3Eibp1Eydiy0FM2KC1mIeywqiX3khwQMG49P7bGwzaBTBA/s1600/20140614_132804.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBqyXG2e1JLbTe_ecvkMS_Y376NLA6Y11pPKQQWA5BDsdld_x1hjk-w6esU8xI6RLiDw6cjftvAkbmfUqpE2PdN8ogbXFso3Eibp1Eydiy0FM2KC1mIeywqiX3khwQMG49P7bGwzaBTBA/s1600/20140614_132804.jpg" height="640" width="360" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07582631687301170907noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1143080891955701372.post-45536380483183980522013-08-12T14:06:00.000+01:002013-08-12T14:06:05.316+01:00Para BCI y viceversa<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCA2Gfjtk3_KQfPc4jwXmsJFxuATtQX5-s_bKpbwzSGlN1dIbiOvVGGoPm8K_nIgJ5lM-MP7RtNdMHbWboqM2fgdVg9IfD9hRzY402BKFrNQQisdus4_TGSh0I9BAD8ky6yliAjz5l_FM/s1600/IMG_0600.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCA2Gfjtk3_KQfPc4jwXmsJFxuATtQX5-s_bKpbwzSGlN1dIbiOvVGGoPm8K_nIgJ5lM-MP7RtNdMHbWboqM2fgdVg9IfD9hRzY402BKFrNQQisdus4_TGSh0I9BAD8ky6yliAjz5l_FM/s640/IMG_0600.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
Well the start of August has seen an end to my field work in Panama and my safe return with all my wasps to the UK. So this will be my final post for a little while and I just wanted to share with you a few photographs from our last few days in Panama.<br />
<br />
For our penultimate day we went back to <a href="http://www.stri.si.edu/english/research/facilities/terrestrial/barro_colorado/" target="_blank">Barro Colorado Island</a> for a final wander around this beautiful island in the middle of the canal. It really is such a special place to visit filled with researchers from all over the world studying nearly every living thing that is found there. As normal in the rainforest is filled with so many amazing animals and plants surround you at every turn of the path but they manage to disappear into the canopy before I managed to get the following sneaky snaps.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDAnPpG93pvijg8lObJsYoF8XgaeaFiLwHGbkpmc6bH5q7XiP_pSuCO9f9moOk2pck56t0yeTGHbbziBBhmEy7oPRP11h7MWwKatnjWlS0iYbKcoVKJOvveAoqiFBleIj5lIUK-OuoW8w/s1600/IMG_0557.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDAnPpG93pvijg8lObJsYoF8XgaeaFiLwHGbkpmc6bH5q7XiP_pSuCO9f9moOk2pck56t0yeTGHbbziBBhmEy7oPRP11h7MWwKatnjWlS0iYbKcoVKJOvveAoqiFBleIj5lIUK-OuoW8w/s640/IMG_0557.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A capuchin monkey hiding from my camera<br /><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYcVM7zqKyRODCONHwCjxpjS39qZohm6dM_r8cuix88g3CT3BNiyFQ2Qx5xu-R54GHjhoMqML-N4fEEnvQhZYb-_v3rz7J9Cmy7fhH13ut3Bu5vXYz_fuZIRSNHzKKSzfuygavqW-b1Pk/s1600/IMG_0545.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYcVM7zqKyRODCONHwCjxpjS39qZohm6dM_r8cuix88g3CT3BNiyFQ2Qx5xu-R54GHjhoMqML-N4fEEnvQhZYb-_v3rz7J9Cmy7fhH13ut3Bu5vXYz_fuZIRSNHzKKSzfuygavqW-b1Pk/s640/IMG_0545.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Crocodile on the banks of the island</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2QMUwDPFG3nZrThiR1V8n_JNu0WWDg-225knOxGMO_JdgOjWPkGhak0XQ1Jo3e_YDMTlWVIenrS0mAY0fgPkeellEn2j0vhtQOOajjRJbm4E6tGCFpjnNn8pNVVS-QJLBICsPruoNmcw/s1600/IMG_0558.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2QMUwDPFG3nZrThiR1V8n_JNu0WWDg-225knOxGMO_JdgOjWPkGhak0XQ1Jo3e_YDMTlWVIenrS0mAY0fgPkeellEn2j0vhtQOOajjRJbm4E6tGCFpjnNn8pNVVS-QJLBICsPruoNmcw/s400/IMG_0558.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Giant termite nest hanging from the tree</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Last year you may remember a photograph I took of me standing at the base of the largest and possibly oldest tree on BCI known fondly as "<a href="http://zoologist-abroad.blogspot.co.uk/2012/07/gamboa-bci-and-canal.html" target="_blank">Big Tree</a>". During our time in STRI this year we heard some sad news that something awful happened to Big Tree and the tree died and the canopy fell covering the forest floor and creating a giant clearing. It was a bit of shock to reach the end of the trail and find this!<br />
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ1qIRo-2IWD9Fo1tRAXUx1H16xByKY5xSSNk-wUlwAHrR8lepBN-Hofnhx7tFa3Bq-PB6UjwDlAf39sGQIUWJ3ZyzQb1sB5NETlaSuNk5JgfOxMjUp0jcUwhzf4sD9_cuzLDS9Vfv90g/s1600/IMG_0550.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ1qIRo-2IWD9Fo1tRAXUx1H16xByKY5xSSNk-wUlwAHrR8lepBN-Hofnhx7tFa3Bq-PB6UjwDlAf39sGQIUWJ3ZyzQb1sB5NETlaSuNk5JgfOxMjUp0jcUwhzf4sD9_cuzLDS9Vfv90g/s640/IMG_0550.jpg" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The end of Big Tree</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVlM7DsN_Ufbi73h1HmwRJDSUnoI3-CBa1gaLuF1xX0CQLR16fDAIAXnSXXkHYpZx-tG9DAcxQT9lTPFdypByvPp5V-LW_HtYJPCay3gMgT2NLHS4kSPRlcO-hVEwPPfCPLv788OrgK5o/s1600/IMG_0564.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVlM7DsN_Ufbi73h1HmwRJDSUnoI3-CBa1gaLuF1xX0CQLR16fDAIAXnSXXkHYpZx-tG9DAcxQT9lTPFdypByvPp5V-LW_HtYJPCay3gMgT2NLHS4kSPRlcO-hVEwPPfCPLv788OrgK5o/s640/IMG_0564.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Shipping liner passing based the banks of BCI</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq18-0XTbC6TVFsmEgRLDKStz2aBSr8VtIsKks0R4fwcxfDRUz2U_7Rily4WMHU8AwO9IeQnb5sPkQvgiCIQZVJCECv3hRheF6gvhBomAw-j0aBWS4eEHgYc9AEt-Nma34ZhVGnCh88ng/s1600/IMG_0583.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq18-0XTbC6TVFsmEgRLDKStz2aBSr8VtIsKks0R4fwcxfDRUz2U_7Rily4WMHU8AwO9IeQnb5sPkQvgiCIQZVJCECv3hRheF6gvhBomAw-j0aBWS4eEHgYc9AEt-Nma34ZhVGnCh88ng/s400/IMG_0583.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Little bat hanging out during the day on some of the dormitories</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfMith_u8DrgqJH6_HKwlDoLMBYN3ijCG8h2oj01Dy6SbwF913KHHggOPaJ941Rccw7wgBgAbsg66kMiiRlNFZmHGrWRM2HhDqMDWiAlOcHZlVeRAShhZLHpEgSAwtQu105-LZnCp9uCg/s1600/IMG_0571.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfMith_u8DrgqJH6_HKwlDoLMBYN3ijCG8h2oj01Dy6SbwF913KHHggOPaJ941Rccw7wgBgAbsg66kMiiRlNFZmHGrWRM2HhDqMDWiAlOcHZlVeRAShhZLHpEgSAwtQu105-LZnCp9uCg/s400/IMG_0571.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR4Ul-JOypRB5be3wr7nDOQW5SwI7RJpEUwnznZhVzdeD711czbJsjcANyiTrF7B_RXWASzF_2w-vqHe2Vox-22PeDe-ftCt3tXg-VSS0jLJj1_kp74AeiscUWnugmwZgxLt3iVTJ6h60/s1600/IMG_0561.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR4Ul-JOypRB5be3wr7nDOQW5SwI7RJpEUwnznZhVzdeD711czbJsjcANyiTrF7B_RXWASzF_2w-vqHe2Vox-22PeDe-ftCt3tXg-VSS0jLJj1_kp74AeiscUWnugmwZgxLt3iVTJ6h60/s640/IMG_0561.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Howler and her baby</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
]<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfgHWDJhyPB_aZdMcSTjdAx2lpMmaJLOHxJyGmjUsKy9DodDtc7hB5TmPY4XM6-dhNYjymqKCvLXMSGw1M93CivIiavTXQHM9uz4vuVxnqyD96B6wDZU32uzrAiwwDWqo40FBKWjhsUuE/s1600/IMG_0592.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfgHWDJhyPB_aZdMcSTjdAx2lpMmaJLOHxJyGmjUsKy9DodDtc7hB5TmPY4XM6-dhNYjymqKCvLXMSGw1M93CivIiavTXQHM9uz4vuVxnqyD96B6wDZU32uzrAiwwDWqo40FBKWjhsUuE/s640/IMG_0592.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Finally got my photo of a toucan!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07582631687301170907noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1143080891955701372.post-67728704255116955392013-08-01T14:48:00.000+01:002013-08-01T14:50:22.332+01:00Tienen plantas en Panamá también!<div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidad2IikSzjNoSlplpdifFyYIwT7m3g82g8ZpwWIRQw3KxTjsJaBtPw3GDMWAnwgt5QCxNo0-6bZK6yV5YTd0wfUHh_SVxyBX-AIHFbCsQOJxrKpECPF9wZ0O-MK0CVegjBmwSw9IqW9Y/s1600/IMG_0369.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><br /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidad2IikSzjNoSlplpdifFyYIwT7m3g82g8ZpwWIRQw3KxTjsJaBtPw3GDMWAnwgt5QCxNo0-6bZK6yV5YTd0wfUHh_SVxyBX-AIHFbCsQOJxrKpECPF9wZ0O-MK0CVegjBmwSw9IqW9Y/s1600/IMG_0369.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidad2IikSzjNoSlplpdifFyYIwT7m3g82g8ZpwWIRQw3KxTjsJaBtPw3GDMWAnwgt5QCxNo0-6bZK6yV5YTd0wfUHh_SVxyBX-AIHFbCsQOJxrKpECPF9wZ0O-MK0CVegjBmwSw9IqW9Y/s1600/IMG_0369.JPG" height="425" width="640" /></a></div>
<div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
Earlier this year, Boxing day sales to be precise, I treated myself to a beautiful new camera as my previous one died in <a href="http://zoologist-abroad.blogspot.com/2012/05/weekend-in-san-blas.html" target="_blank">San Blas</a> last year.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I'm not at all confessing to being anything of a photographer but I do get a great deal of satisfaction out of taking beautiful photographs and really and stating to enjoy the past time now I have my lovely new <a href="http://www.canon.co.uk/For%5FHome/Product%5FFinder/Cameras/Digital%5FCamera/PowerShot/PowerShot%5FSX500%5FIS/" target="_blank">Cannon Powershot</a> and so far I've been delighted with the quality of the images that I have been able to take.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Normally where ever I travel in the world I spend the vast majority of my time trying to photograph the various creatures I find along the way - pretty normal for a Zoologist Abroad right?! However this year I though I would set myself a challenge to not only capture the wildlife but also make an active effort to photograph the botanical wonders that the tropics has to offer.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
So here is my first collection of plant photographs and I would like to dedicate them to my dear friend and botanist Liam. He is currently being an academic hermit on the coast of Pembrokshire attempting to finish writing up with PhD thesis. I hope that some photos of plants other that Arabidopsis will inspire him with his great work!<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5JnyAr-O23EmgMAbEQEAy89FUzh9HkoNmVajYhl5NpDXEeMWMu6f635PLVUEnhD6kg9Ks_3xuABiznGg9rIMDU-MOQW31eIDUyQAd7jKUCTjobCShyphenhyphenhQoD9-f1KulTRLXNA0FZ0lGWk8/s1600/IMG_0373.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5JnyAr-O23EmgMAbEQEAy89FUzh9HkoNmVajYhl5NpDXEeMWMu6f635PLVUEnhD6kg9Ks_3xuABiznGg9rIMDU-MOQW31eIDUyQAd7jKUCTjobCShyphenhyphenhQoD9-f1KulTRLXNA0FZ0lGWk8/s1600/IMG_0373.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikCnyrIL6aFgusizN6hz4JxESgz-FFnQF91jnfSovSb8SEMAUAClG_RwVnk7CriFTw0CrZdaJJqdrHQ2g533GFFR4Qoa5tKm9R_C6_RZcYwzVkjktCfiwXZAc2YiWGtPxyK0C2cSRisTM/s1600/IMG_0397.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikCnyrIL6aFgusizN6hz4JxESgz-FFnQF91jnfSovSb8SEMAUAClG_RwVnk7CriFTw0CrZdaJJqdrHQ2g533GFFR4Qoa5tKm9R_C6_RZcYwzVkjktCfiwXZAc2YiWGtPxyK0C2cSRisTM/s1600/IMG_0397.jpg" height="640" width="426" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgot5W7JeAokckxeadSa7J8k1LpIjZJbx57l7RCktuSGuwAcsYVg05m9Yn62378LvaVqlP4jtsRDLRLkwgoBkaNui0mwrtJNNC59k28pnPnHigm_PsntIL_dWbo32Z7AWiLm5G28zRlC5g/s1600/IMG_0378.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgot5W7JeAokckxeadSa7J8k1LpIjZJbx57l7RCktuSGuwAcsYVg05m9Yn62378LvaVqlP4jtsRDLRLkwgoBkaNui0mwrtJNNC59k28pnPnHigm_PsntIL_dWbo32Z7AWiLm5G28zRlC5g/s1600/IMG_0378.JPG" height="266" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsWv3Fo1FkyZNn5SEAH14JtdyalCNWkra8i6UDx_hClIHPJohWIRCc7YNeEx7u6osLIvoqJYqNoXPmDhcVJ0LnaKBBQGGjFVvMLi4f-n-GM8VPPhMNVh1Ql_zoK8nskUfTQXmFBhtlHsI/s1600/IMG_0398.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsWv3Fo1FkyZNn5SEAH14JtdyalCNWkra8i6UDx_hClIHPJohWIRCc7YNeEx7u6osLIvoqJYqNoXPmDhcVJ0LnaKBBQGGjFVvMLi4f-n-GM8VPPhMNVh1Ql_zoK8nskUfTQXmFBhtlHsI/s1600/IMG_0398.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi53AVfHTlN99FqWe8WL3WjhOSHuuGiCQAzVDKIWZGeQCxTkzyKLSDJhKKkjhvAAr6d5eWPUvdei5kC2fM-CjhIWCDNaDA6UMVssA55e8UTkkE_ZvMuB5aQDN8042IUiSB_itoBjPmY4Ms/s1600/IMG_0403.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi53AVfHTlN99FqWe8WL3WjhOSHuuGiCQAzVDKIWZGeQCxTkzyKLSDJhKKkjhvAAr6d5eWPUvdei5kC2fM-CjhIWCDNaDA6UMVssA55e8UTkkE_ZvMuB5aQDN8042IUiSB_itoBjPmY4Ms/s1600/IMG_0403.jpg" height="640" width="480" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvnVk6mQAutnZwFD_O2S2EDiFbiuBK9Nx4I-3vQgr827puLCJrvatzq_jipi2k3tfq9HdkkWfMyFcdy-SpFkMXFaP_MZmBYHehLDRshq8bWAcGEbaAej5WrxlXMvkcg_EIaThbCDhfreo/s1600/IMG_0399.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvnVk6mQAutnZwFD_O2S2EDiFbiuBK9Nx4I-3vQgr827puLCJrvatzq_jipi2k3tfq9HdkkWfMyFcdy-SpFkMXFaP_MZmBYHehLDRshq8bWAcGEbaAej5WrxlXMvkcg_EIaThbCDhfreo/s1600/IMG_0399.jpg" height="400" width="266" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix5WeGDhE9VletomxpGPzyGSMqrCSAu3VZLCk3Jst7AacUg3Yh5E3VAnlsztUsZGxCGTqV6OKsQfZBkuOrlxoUgu7kMc53x_LfSvG6U7y92U26TY0CPZyeVmKlm3_Fg48fQJ_PE7oYMR8/s1600/IMG_0406.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix5WeGDhE9VletomxpGPzyGSMqrCSAu3VZLCk3Jst7AacUg3Yh5E3VAnlsztUsZGxCGTqV6OKsQfZBkuOrlxoUgu7kMc53x_LfSvG6U7y92U26TY0CPZyeVmKlm3_Fg48fQJ_PE7oYMR8/s1600/IMG_0406.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiBQl2YOVTvmTRD5bK30IRzF8mdvQyN2AklmL0GCeHwLFG01GRdaVyzVz8PSaIwH_e3C5lZSj6iiFXYOyIfeRbQxKHQimadoZlvwgfYEInIaLX5W9LFhPmJaL5yi4-goHqWY-ksQ9GNc4/s1600/IMG_0405.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiBQl2YOVTvmTRD5bK30IRzF8mdvQyN2AklmL0GCeHwLFG01GRdaVyzVz8PSaIwH_e3C5lZSj6iiFXYOyIfeRbQxKHQimadoZlvwgfYEInIaLX5W9LFhPmJaL5yi4-goHqWY-ksQ9GNc4/s1600/IMG_0405.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik1DAMVTr5B5Hv0bc9QgD0B3ILlstOc7-bKb7EHrEDfjApGirCnLbVR3nP11_XRtV-ej19-Kr6MxoYEYMDLAIByDDqgE-yYqawuJDTvmEZAacPdm_Rdh6pp3oZZEOdrtsxE6fQYVnuTEc/s1600/IMG_0407.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik1DAMVTr5B5Hv0bc9QgD0B3ILlstOc7-bKb7EHrEDfjApGirCnLbVR3nP11_XRtV-ej19-Kr6MxoYEYMDLAIByDDqgE-yYqawuJDTvmEZAacPdm_Rdh6pp3oZZEOdrtsxE6fQYVnuTEc/s1600/IMG_0407.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1B3NkDyS6DH-jPf6gGqNikr8BmSPjBgBKa8C0hJ5CF_IGAOkzWJ17pN7kreW7b7KhYucPevUR2U8mVddpnGGEVW1zc5tYnY432QH83uiV17tVJBE9nh2YzADkc5lXYTuyAq1yQg_Pwic/s1600/IMG_0375.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1B3NkDyS6DH-jPf6gGqNikr8BmSPjBgBKa8C0hJ5CF_IGAOkzWJ17pN7kreW7b7KhYucPevUR2U8mVddpnGGEVW1zc5tYnY432QH83uiV17tVJBE9nh2YzADkc5lXYTuyAq1yQg_Pwic/s1600/IMG_0375.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt8oH0ZD0e7NKIIx9hyphenhyphenz-U-0Z3jetw8dSkLk4i3W6Vx23BW_zfvAUzivQD3VrCifrpG69q23wHXyYuZ-yseejrKgU3FpLTsZO7CnCs25x_fjqjAbiP8pJONfzWu2RhVhMZ-QeN-jcKJ_c/s1600/IMG_0409.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt8oH0ZD0e7NKIIx9hyphenhyphenz-U-0Z3jetw8dSkLk4i3W6Vx23BW_zfvAUzivQD3VrCifrpG69q23wHXyYuZ-yseejrKgU3FpLTsZO7CnCs25x_fjqjAbiP8pJONfzWu2RhVhMZ-QeN-jcKJ_c/s1600/IMG_0409.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis5nP7r6_FmkHKiYvn4VTZNOezykd8hNOiOmTTVWPVJu1GTKzzpkYOc9V0zyf_5vUYZJt-DXcQZP9xAVokwAOnMsqJRrBsiYeGVfe5ckYBmyOTfUb6r0f-YPIauvSdY1cjZa8JEga-oCY/s1600/IMG_0416.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis5nP7r6_FmkHKiYvn4VTZNOezykd8hNOiOmTTVWPVJu1GTKzzpkYOc9V0zyf_5vUYZJt-DXcQZP9xAVokwAOnMsqJRrBsiYeGVfe5ckYBmyOTfUb6r0f-YPIauvSdY1cjZa8JEga-oCY/s1600/IMG_0416.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Some plants even make things that you can eat mmmm fresh coconut!</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcELEK3j5iBswmiZnbsFxbUoXXRhyphenhyphenVzcJ4nb_14iq9EXwVAnYgI6zIyOIQ8wPiSOQrmx_0_m1lW1KFpU7kc5Ml4tZOuqUjCKLWFBgmPno_CjwVVxqONke0TgFM3tmBmpP9YScBaI2xtSE/s1600/IMG_0361.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcELEK3j5iBswmiZnbsFxbUoXXRhyphenhyphenVzcJ4nb_14iq9EXwVAnYgI6zIyOIQ8wPiSOQrmx_0_m1lW1KFpU7kc5Ml4tZOuqUjCKLWFBgmPno_CjwVVxqONke0TgFM3tmBmpP9YScBaI2xtSE/s1600/IMG_0361.jpg" height="400" width="266" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<br /></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07582631687301170907noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1143080891955701372.post-61576895706599808792013-07-29T02:01:00.000+01:002013-07-29T02:02:15.225+01:00Aún estamos vivos en Panamá<br />
Firstly and for mostly I must apologise to you all for the complete lack of post recently!<br />
I can mean only one thing I've been working so unbelievably hard on my field project that I haven't had a moment to write a message to you all.<br />
<br />
Things are finally going well, for the last few weeks Robin myself and my great new assistant Dan have been diligently marking, censusing and watching the wasps. Over 1000 of the little critters have been marked since Robin and I started in June - new record!<br />
<br />
Everyone has been stung, Dan only once and he barely reacted (unbelievably!) me only once too and poor Robin is now on his 8th sting in 2 months, one of which was through his glove so unluckily - the wasps seem to have it in for him!<br />
<br />
As it comes to my last few weeks in Panama and work is finally a little less chaotic I will make much more effort to give you all a post every few days.<br />
<br />
For the rest of this post just wanted to take the chance to share some selected photos with you all that I've taken over the last few months - mostly Panamanian animals!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX288eFb6hIsATJgmkFXG-7tLBgOX0WwtF2ofWduW7wWI0ed6WPNlNDHJWVtiBRNCnK-_QCclmDZI-0v33Q2JhgObDQs8hm53_oh1IOs6i-EZAO6DmbXqD8VClpGyAQ__2NNkrhzIqfsI/s1600/IMG_0242.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX288eFb6hIsATJgmkFXG-7tLBgOX0WwtF2ofWduW7wWI0ed6WPNlNDHJWVtiBRNCnK-_QCclmDZI-0v33Q2JhgObDQs8hm53_oh1IOs6i-EZAO6DmbXqD8VClpGyAQ__2NNkrhzIqfsI/s1600/IMG_0242.jpg" width="425" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Me exploring the ruins at the Fort of San Lorenzo </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Below you'll find two photos of the same Polybia nest which I have been following for the last few weeks to see how it has grown, these tiny little wasps have been super busy and look what they have created!</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUJMXzbbBgC5P-hO9wltIh0OMcfRl26nbNcVnJrPQBytrBoTWipHCBSxk_yavPwZ1yUcd0dTFD5D396ZINX6Ocq3irtFVP-BW921bc3FkR28_wuM4hi_d9f3fgm7xcqYOCuz608ZtSMb8/s1600/IMG_0249.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUJMXzbbBgC5P-hO9wltIh0OMcfRl26nbNcVnJrPQBytrBoTWipHCBSxk_yavPwZ1yUcd0dTFD5D396ZINX6Ocq3irtFVP-BW921bc3FkR28_wuM4hi_d9f3fgm7xcqYOCuz608ZtSMb8/s1600/IMG_0249.JPG" width="400" /></a> </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu-S9iWE_zpnRAoAKUe-CE8DB98-kFVNC3l97kN7PzT4pjfHqqTzemAHmUlW4P1uS9LtqfLU5aH3woO3FyX2Kf581KIlHdUf3aVP9hi450ICGs2tTIDFT3PSTR4eM9Q0pZMca-eReRmdM/s1600/IMG_0302.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu-S9iWE_zpnRAoAKUe-CE8DB98-kFVNC3l97kN7PzT4pjfHqqTzemAHmUlW4P1uS9LtqfLU5aH3woO3FyX2Kf581KIlHdUf3aVP9hi450ICGs2tTIDFT3PSTR4eM9Q0pZMca-eReRmdM/s1600/IMG_0302.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
Of course another selection of the beautiful animals they have here!</div>
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJc3PVVLL0I8_NsEeI0uiGu1TTa1V5PM4M02DZfsEJN18vsJm6KsezBeLBBIy9fMbJyQX3OEOwkJfn_6s3A56_HeyfT-8aGutX2uLSt2ab2RqzdK9c9YZnJ7aYLL7HRGSy_LnD7MfgOio/s1600/IMG_0263.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJc3PVVLL0I8_NsEeI0uiGu1TTa1V5PM4M02DZfsEJN18vsJm6KsezBeLBBIy9fMbJyQX3OEOwkJfn_6s3A56_HeyfT-8aGutX2uLSt2ab2RqzdK9c9YZnJ7aYLL7HRGSy_LnD7MfgOio/s1600/IMG_0263.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQcbD6I7g9gd-6rCIUIYO0uQoBtkGBaXVJwnqQj9ycSWHgOIz7WgFWEdFSo2NtttzuvZ0crqpCnX8hUDsaj5Auub8nRbCUlas2ATwplNBE1AdDhK-lOy-6QbtgTAJSXyr2lw9R0O8BLnE/s1600/IMG_0304.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQcbD6I7g9gd-6rCIUIYO0uQoBtkGBaXVJwnqQj9ycSWHgOIz7WgFWEdFSo2NtttzuvZ0crqpCnX8hUDsaj5Auub8nRbCUlas2ATwplNBE1AdDhK-lOy-6QbtgTAJSXyr2lw9R0O8BLnE/s1600/IMG_0304.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie3QVw46boTc9dBzmYtBLIUEuQemS1E1NMle-17KvxFULF9QUX7EHtW4kYDP7v4WaM9yHqujzm6mx2gYyyXq922vpSZIl1BmrakpDy0Rx3VM_vy8pMec3cT9tE-w2vWvCvoWnKpMfg8ao/s1600/IMG_0236.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie3QVw46boTc9dBzmYtBLIUEuQemS1E1NMle-17KvxFULF9QUX7EHtW4kYDP7v4WaM9yHqujzm6mx2gYyyXq922vpSZIl1BmrakpDy0Rx3VM_vy8pMec3cT9tE-w2vWvCvoWnKpMfg8ao/s1600/IMG_0236.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ3DFBYkDNFAjCxbXd-UeVbN6GHWUD1QEg-C2Pcssrw5f8pDg4JHgFbTg-XSoHTlUs32ixUG3CYgrdlnwdIqipWyDYxcHyZTUeEThzGriGz4lQlBQsFTKYrH7MtX1JA6thDgyfzI34XoA/s1600/IMG_0322.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ3DFBYkDNFAjCxbXd-UeVbN6GHWUD1QEg-C2Pcssrw5f8pDg4JHgFbTg-XSoHTlUs32ixUG3CYgrdlnwdIqipWyDYxcHyZTUeEThzGriGz4lQlBQsFTKYrH7MtX1JA6thDgyfzI34XoA/s1600/IMG_0322.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRHV0-PZE924A6nF8y-PAOjR7MGJRlLNbtuV4S6MyyGAJY2JyaGhRWYbrXNDfy5xVQLZNkh6kSlsAUIkUGBwiwyhgIbHadea5QuxwRq0gjbNdZekCjPJpPRnJD9sIj9zQNw854U93jsFs/s1600/IMG_0349.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRHV0-PZE924A6nF8y-PAOjR7MGJRlLNbtuV4S6MyyGAJY2JyaGhRWYbrXNDfy5xVQLZNkh6kSlsAUIkUGBwiwyhgIbHadea5QuxwRq0gjbNdZekCjPJpPRnJD9sIj9zQNw854U93jsFs/s1600/IMG_0349.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
And finally a few weekends ago the three of us took a few hours out of our normally working day to help out our friends at <a href="http://zoologist-abroad.blogspot.com/2012/05/galeta-my-new-office.html" target="_blank">Punta Galeta</a> with a beach clean up they were having, thats quite a lot of rubbish!<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg488ypJ8qjPQ8-jxSuPSLw2Eff1y1E7WAHOX8JXwUkxgi1Dh7VZG0BUucPmvBsFXqC7Xi4CQJe0YJTSxbRkKGYRxnYG8YyW7hduBRPWlYcepiyiVgGczlyKNlHrCRFxgipq29rxn8T4rY/s1600/P1040001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg488ypJ8qjPQ8-jxSuPSLw2Eff1y1E7WAHOX8JXwUkxgi1Dh7VZG0BUucPmvBsFXqC7Xi4CQJe0YJTSxbRkKGYRxnYG8YyW7hduBRPWlYcepiyiVgGczlyKNlHrCRFxgipq29rxn8T4rY/s1600/P1040001.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07582631687301170907noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1143080891955701372.post-60684047426553119082013-07-09T05:28:00.002+01:002013-07-13T02:33:02.131+01:00Avispas hizo famoso - Micro Monsters 3D with David Attenborough<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
This weekend sees a special occasion in which my wasps are being made famous - Avispas hizo famoso! They will be appearing of the new David Attenborough documentary <a href="http://sky1.sky.com/sky1hd-shows/micro-monsters-3d-with-david-attenborough" target="_blank">Micro Monsters 3D</a> on Sky1HD and Sky3D.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
I was lucky enough to go and spend 4 brilliant days with the production team behind this new programme filming my wasps using the most state of the art micro 3D camera. It was a wonderful few days and I was able to see some amazing footage and view so many close ups of my wasps which I had never been able to see before. They are even more amazing on a bug screen in 3D. Unfortunately, being away on field work I am not going to be able to see the programme when it airs this Saturday (13th of July 2013) so if any of you are lucky enough to be able to watch it I would love to hear your comments. I shall look forwards to watching it on my return to the UK.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
In the mean time here are some other photos of my wasps (possibly not as great as the ones that will be shown on Saturday!).</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Whilst stopping and each my lunch next to the coast I noticed a hug number of wasps surrounding the large piles of drift wood which line it. So naturally my camera and I went to investigate and I found something really cool. The wasps are using this wood to build their nests. They land on the wood and strip small amounts, process it and take it back to the nests to add cells! Ive never actually seen them collecting nesting material in the wild before so a real find.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI20LLp-E2zmvKtfI5I93DPaemkp-CRkFDCb3NWWBYp8gRFin3xN9nfP_Ku_gOBidOcDUb0YqlT8-pFICbAODBTKFuZTEEb59gQsm5SQ5gZngChq20qjgvyH-tyUJdE44DPov_JNkE3cs/s1600/IMG_0316.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI20LLp-E2zmvKtfI5I93DPaemkp-CRkFDCb3NWWBYp8gRFin3xN9nfP_Ku_gOBidOcDUb0YqlT8-pFICbAODBTKFuZTEEb59gQsm5SQ5gZngChq20qjgvyH-tyUJdE44DPov_JNkE3cs/s640/IMG_0316.JPG" width="640"></a></div>
<br>
<br>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgInPjsmHHRqjLLhfj9VDNtC2TbGzmhAlp9UR3aFGjWe-StyrkauPkZ68K-93Fbqcul66wxtmgzBVZ2ZjgnyRhyphenhyphenLVuSMffmbTTH_zr67NB60djeNTNU5Jh3UPdjwpMcHaNhGHYZaYIfo2g/s1600/IMG_0319.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgInPjsmHHRqjLLhfj9VDNtC2TbGzmhAlp9UR3aFGjWe-StyrkauPkZ68K-93Fbqcul66wxtmgzBVZ2ZjgnyRhyphenhyphenLVuSMffmbTTH_zr67NB60djeNTNU5Jh3UPdjwpMcHaNhGHYZaYIfo2g/s640/IMG_0319.JPG" width="640"></a></div>
<br>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07582631687301170907noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1143080891955701372.post-49768735512526327082013-06-23T04:47:00.003+01:002013-06-23T04:47:31.615+01:00La Feliz ParejaAgain begin away on field work has meant that I have missed out on many important occasions back at home.<br />
<br />
Its been a busy and exciting week week for the Bell family - the birth of my cousin Natalya beautiful baby girl Olivia and the return of my cousin Bryony and her daughter Alia after 5 long years away in South America!<br />
<br />
<br />
Today sees yet another important event that I have missed - the wedding of my wonderful friend Kelly to the fantastic Mont.<br />
<br />
I have been so fortunate to be able to hear all about the build up to this special day over the last few months not to mention being able to see Kelly's gorgeous dress at her fitting and share a special "non-hen do" day with her.<br />
<br />
As they both know I am so sorry to have missed their special day but I have no doubt that it was phenomenal and I can't wait to here all about it and see the photos when I get back.<br />
<br />
So until next time - "To the Happy Couple - La felix Pareja" - Kelly and Mont, I wish you both so much happiness to on the next stage of your lives together.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL6RjJV5j9NLbdaveovig6K98FUn19aO2cJo8FY3blppSLW0JZeSDv0xjkzIMWoZoXXzxz93AbnaWbc39xsrt3r2lgFzDYKUvu84armJro9UzMr5JGTcB3J2OOEcdQyK1m7PTuE7WHO2c/s1600/IMG_0269.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL6RjJV5j9NLbdaveovig6K98FUn19aO2cJo8FY3blppSLW0JZeSDv0xjkzIMWoZoXXzxz93AbnaWbc39xsrt3r2lgFzDYKUvu84armJro9UzMr5JGTcB3J2OOEcdQyK1m7PTuE7WHO2c/s1600/IMG_0269.jpg" height="640" width="480" /></a></div>
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07582631687301170907noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1143080891955701372.post-39705744871623646882013-06-16T17:36:00.000+01:002013-06-16T17:36:13.224+01:00Feliz día del padreI am a very bad daughter again today, for the second year in a row I am missing an important day to spend with my dad - all for the sake of a few little wasps!<br />
<br />
When going through my work computer I realised there were very few photos I could put up to mark this occasion but I did find one.<br />
<br />
So this is a very simple post just to day "Feliz día del padre" to my dad.<br />
<br />
Sorry that I cannot be at home to share today with you, fingers crossed for next year.<br />
<br />
With all my love<br />
<br />
Emily<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJDec57jDW5JF7fAvchLzXHW08mLEl-b9XuV3lrDWtTlrxnKzWdKMryh0gzfpNwj34o_j9jeHXQ4ZDy_BcicT_lIjqEW6QNbMuaFfGXteSBZn-a-SzMM3Wm0zfaKLg4D_Bu8baffKxHPw/s1600/651_57195922177_9704_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJDec57jDW5JF7fAvchLzXHW08mLEl-b9XuV3lrDWtTlrxnKzWdKMryh0gzfpNwj34o_j9jeHXQ4ZDy_BcicT_lIjqEW6QNbMuaFfGXteSBZn-a-SzMM3Wm0zfaKLg4D_Bu8baffKxHPw/s640/651_57195922177_9704_n.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07582631687301170907noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1143080891955701372.post-65630440880408457242013-06-13T03:08:00.000+01:002013-06-16T03:05:44.283+01:00Estamos buscando las avispas<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">What we one thing and another we have had a little change of plan with this years fieldseason - the detail of which would take far too long to write about in this post - as such we are doing things in reverse. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Instead of conducting experiments first and then taking some days off at the end to explore Panama and look for potential new sites, we are starting with looking for new sites before kicking off with the experiments.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The words on all of our lips to those we meet on our travels</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> are "estamos buscando las avispas" (we are looking for wasps). This phrase tends to leave most Panamanian locals looking rather bemused at the three strange British people standing before them in field gear and bee hats - a look we now used to!</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">But invariably once we managed to explain to people in pigeon spanish what these wasps look like most people are more than helpful to show us potential places there might be nests - possible just for their own amusement when they see how excited we get a the site of wasps!</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Here are a few snap shots of what we have found on our travels:</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7SmX4bdBZm2xgXxGzsDLTSUWFYKZSOXtQZhg5Spkl9X5N7FWxfh8k7sc05-RGHtuLlcS0gu_ovezET6bK2KbX3573GG-pt01AnRw54ojHhqE3IxM78p1fVfydK6PmBT0L4lZXygm_L6k/s1600/IMG_0160.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7SmX4bdBZm2xgXxGzsDLTSUWFYKZSOXtQZhg5Spkl9X5N7FWxfh8k7sc05-RGHtuLlcS0gu_ovezET6bK2KbX3573GG-pt01AnRw54ojHhqE3IxM78p1fVfydK6PmBT0L4lZXygm_L6k/s1600/IMG_0160.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">This looks like a typical wasp inhabitance!</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIwj-lC3N007rzSGCVpmCGh4T4cw0aarHgoy1rPWR4mm70pRih5fXWSIH26bCtfWNuoqibyPL7MAqbQaSmsUVx0bm3-f2xT7Tx_jV_LHwcyLGEOtu9Gfz6s_7bXuQDwsIrmgsUhR37R0E/s1600/IMG_0161.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIwj-lC3N007rzSGCVpmCGh4T4cw0aarHgoy1rPWR4mm70pRih5fXWSIH26bCtfWNuoqibyPL7MAqbQaSmsUVx0bm3-f2xT7Tx_jV_LHwcyLGEOtu9Gfz6s_7bXuQDwsIrmgsUhR37R0E/s1600/IMG_0161.jpg" height="400" width="300" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Not a bad from the first floor window.....</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I found these fantastic trails running through the grass near these buildings. At a closer look you can see that these trails are those that have been made by millions of tiny little ant feet repeatedly running through them. Pretty amazing creatures making these ant motorways to get to they best sources of leaves which they need to grow their fungus gardens.</span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd_vhCIDN9z76C9ieRiwk8idrrk7pOWSnBuXjKOnqgR_PJbUpHzZgRzxEDMjb8kxlhymww1iQ6QAHttuiMu3rM0c_tTLTDqvq9W5QqsMeNmB5jXgdy2J-8APaPdAHyOuKHJs06Px4TmH0/s1600/IMG_0163.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd_vhCIDN9z76C9ieRiwk8idrrk7pOWSnBuXjKOnqgR_PJbUpHzZgRzxEDMjb8kxlhymww1iQ6QAHttuiMu3rM0c_tTLTDqvq9W5QqsMeNmB5jXgdy2J-8APaPdAHyOuKHJs06Px4TmH0/s1600/IMG_0163.jpg" height="400" width="300" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Ant trail</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6bcQr_ZsDSMmv3a9abqXLfKETMghO423Zxy9uE9_1RYIWLOZx2ZiGp4ASZTfjNOIySua527V_FG2oCFGLcBH6DhZLTWOsTgO9FB-qLfigarhu-iL8NDmXC1aISA12yxohnLIuIVC60D8/s1600/IMG_0162.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6bcQr_ZsDSMmv3a9abqXLfKETMghO423Zxy9uE9_1RYIWLOZx2ZiGp4ASZTfjNOIySua527V_FG2oCFGLcBH6DhZLTWOsTgO9FB-qLfigarhu-iL8NDmXC1aISA12yxohnLIuIVC60D8/s1600/IMG_0162.jpg" height="400" width="300" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Leaf cutters</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Last year Lawrence taught me a new scientific term which has fast become a favourite of mine when ever I spot these plants, below you can see an <b>epiphyte</b>! These plants are those which grow upon another plant (in this case a tree) but do so in a non-parasitic manner. I have seen these all over Panama and not just growing on trees but also on buildings where it is damp. Most of the ones I have seen belong to the Orchid family, ill try to take some more snaps of then when I come across them. Couldn't resist this one due to the beautiful blue sky in the background.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXboYNYcwPv2lGJZTxoP-hSyz5i3811ktqSZyhcjWepbQBtV6DQ8HPB2D0WlkSLzDG2P5Fldugu56ONNVqM2mwVytGkPiUbzCkglWR45U1GUr0GjSmpsiG3RlsMU_B0KrZndFLF7sCPdY/s1600/IMG_0165.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXboYNYcwPv2lGJZTxoP-hSyz5i3811ktqSZyhcjWepbQBtV6DQ8HPB2D0WlkSLzDG2P5Fldugu56ONNVqM2mwVytGkPiUbzCkglWR45U1GUr0GjSmpsiG3RlsMU_B0KrZndFLF7sCPdY/s1600/IMG_0165.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></span></a></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Robin thought that their might be some wasps in here, although I think it might just have been an excuse to get out the machette.....</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVv5HFwEAcVas8Ie2VTHY6gF_l8kQhfmVxqIvuLUyZEnrtlWitXT6btZxIRfd3vhNz1vTBih6lExxj3DiwfiIrqeSDV2OSSCQRzgO_bVCiZRacSddB_cCqBP8qPD8IPFc049GY34nyr5o/s1600/IMG_0172.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVv5HFwEAcVas8Ie2VTHY6gF_l8kQhfmVxqIvuLUyZEnrtlWitXT6btZxIRfd3vhNz1vTBih6lExxj3DiwfiIrqeSDV2OSSCQRzgO_bVCiZRacSddB_cCqBP8qPD8IPFc049GY34nyr5o/s1600/IMG_0172.JPG" height="266" width="400" /></span></a></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Or may be some wasps are here .....</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaClpncmibiPTyX1RdIG93HBxBZb9foUz-NPtg2OpByCDseEOUR4dAHaC_OVhyd_V0eWjFqhlQHwTuc8o5Nno_Zes0TXc43Mtr2tSjuzbRyu31K6DXMePcHV0xt_NWmOceyFJkNwERUKg/s1600/IMG_0174.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaClpncmibiPTyX1RdIG93HBxBZb9foUz-NPtg2OpByCDseEOUR4dAHaC_OVhyd_V0eWjFqhlQHwTuc8o5Nno_Zes0TXc43Mtr2tSjuzbRyu31K6DXMePcHV0xt_NWmOceyFJkNwERUKg/s1600/IMG_0174.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Pacific Cost of Panama on the way to Veracruz</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">.... no wait, this is just a good spot to have a rest with a drink and eat some<i> </i>traditional <a href="http://laylita.com/recipes/2008/06/30/patacones-or-tostones/">patacones</a><i>.</i></span><br />
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></i>
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></i>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjutti4OZQQM6C23Nvi5oFlzb5onqtv9RN1WTtgP_hyphenhyphenQwxMghoPbroD-tmSr8zLN41xk_MqSRdjQvwVW3VH8gQjFBvtj3nKOsT_zEZ0lA-c35ZpXItdIsPpFUUPOeter06-nhyw1TjrzX4/s1600/IMG_0176.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjutti4OZQQM6C23Nvi5oFlzb5onqtv9RN1WTtgP_hyphenhyphenQwxMghoPbroD-tmSr8zLN41xk_MqSRdjQvwVW3VH8gQjFBvtj3nKOsT_zEZ0lA-c35ZpXItdIsPpFUUPOeter06-nhyw1TjrzX4/s1600/IMG_0176.JPG" height="266" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Seirian and Robin working hard....</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></i>
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></i>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">After our little break we decided to head over to Gamboa, crossing over the scary bridge (yes you can just fall through it if you don't drive on the right bit) on the hunt for wasps.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSok7xk1H4FEbSQMuGFZ8B8duaK3cR79pBinBayOsTY9BVsmXAV6xL_RSrrx4ftRigEWeY_6M9o9I5PJoWfs2JmdfME0YMhCKOYVgQI1WIrThIKGibKXSOu_DDMdCsX8RhBvK0O8JgIqk/s1600/IMG_0184.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSok7xk1H4FEbSQMuGFZ8B8duaK3cR79pBinBayOsTY9BVsmXAV6xL_RSrrx4ftRigEWeY_6M9o9I5PJoWfs2JmdfME0YMhCKOYVgQI1WIrThIKGibKXSOu_DDMdCsX8RhBvK0O8JgIqk/s1600/IMG_0184.JPG" height="266" width="400" /></a></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Unfortunatly, we didn't find that may <i>Polistes</i> on our hunt but we did come across some of this beautiful art work by Seirians friend <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ts9vVuoiMAs">Damond Kyllo</a> depicting some of the wildlife that you can find in the forests surrounding Gamboa.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLo5Fi0UYlLggAz6U34uGp1wjDRIFbjpxMAFOGXvMIWoAgy_ooA6WPu5X-Sle88jlt0qGEBfJT3_Z1ewRaZrCS8Mu7PbbZlO-UAvCQDVpNgH4E6pIJLyBM7iBbKxunn4G6fpUjW_ThL5U/s1600/IMG_0187.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLo5Fi0UYlLggAz6U34uGp1wjDRIFbjpxMAFOGXvMIWoAgy_ooA6WPu5X-Sle88jlt0qGEBfJT3_Z1ewRaZrCS8Mu7PbbZlO-UAvCQDVpNgH4E6pIJLyBM7iBbKxunn4G6fpUjW_ThL5U/s1600/IMG_0187.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLfsFG4du_YI5wM-C-Xc3fiaLA4OubgYCrAOWGewrV7Z09j8ie2Djsk4u73NZdEv7vGIroeuKLPwIpibWhztHfX8A4ufen06Hezj2gAjE5BObg-xicjJhcSEe94rBZc2nwRpukiYh2a7M/s1600/IMG_0189.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLfsFG4du_YI5wM-C-Xc3fiaLA4OubgYCrAOWGewrV7Z09j8ie2Djsk4u73NZdEv7vGIroeuKLPwIpibWhztHfX8A4ufen06Hezj2gAjE5BObg-xicjJhcSEe94rBZc2nwRpukiYh2a7M/s1600/IMG_0189.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The close of the day saw us heading back over the Galeta to</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> collect some Mischocyttarus nests at dusk and we were accompanied by another a beautiful sunset</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsAzaNvakxl3KXAeHM5N6d-ce904f82ZNY0SG0Su4piDh3zfYTHD52DSb_fwGwm08U06wcPNBW8rwxm6kUQ4zVTwiOnGsTcHklRKbIoNk60lZpOqFkyegCtnMBUN4mvtM5o92rXiBuNWk/s1600/IMG_0202.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsAzaNvakxl3KXAeHM5N6d-ce904f82ZNY0SG0Su4piDh3zfYTHD52DSb_fwGwm08U06wcPNBW8rwxm6kUQ4zVTwiOnGsTcHklRKbIoNk60lZpOqFkyegCtnMBUN4mvtM5o92rXiBuNWk/s1600/IMG_0202.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQD5GvARcZLGh9QT2NSf_SJZnuBjjBuAybPm_NB17HohJtWn56kEG0T46yLX1UZZlHz_GGZA-V_5j-exo-uVkpTorHEKOroWFFep1lh4uC38Aq0aRWk2M1jK3oJ9gFaaTdKhAdDetdIHM/s1600/IMG_0213.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQD5GvARcZLGh9QT2NSf_SJZnuBjjBuAybPm_NB17HohJtWn56kEG0T46yLX1UZZlHz_GGZA-V_5j-exo-uVkpTorHEKOroWFFep1lh4uC38Aq0aRWk2M1jK3oJ9gFaaTdKhAdDetdIHM/s1600/IMG_0213.jpg" height="400" width="300" /></a></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />Talk to you all soon</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Emily</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
</div>
</div>
<a href="http://www.bloglovin.com/blog/8311075/?claim=q22hgmsp5du">Follow my blog with Bloglovin</a>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07582631687301170907noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1143080891955701372.post-44731127036752187522013-06-05T04:38:00.000+01:002013-06-05T04:38:52.476+01:00El perezoso que se cayóHola All!<br />
<br />
As normal in Panama we have hit the ground running with some problems. Although now I believe we have got most of our administration things completed we are still waiting on our collection permit to arrive to get started on our work. We have been promised its not too far away.<br />
<br />
In the mean time we have been prepping for experiments as best we can. Robin (my assistant) is now complete in his knowledge of all the experiments we will be doing and the equipment is all ready to go!<br />
<br />
After completing a very scary wilderness first aid course last month I was told that it takes people about 2 weeks to fully acclimatise to working the the heat and humidity of the tropics. So amongst all the paper work we are completing for the Smithsonian we decided to get into acclimatisation shape by climbing up Cerro Ancon. This is a big hill and national park on the edge of Panama City.<br />
<br />
From the top you get some great views out over the city:<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjmR4DsyqwMKqpa6Z_tA9aL3CkjXw57RVaGRW4Wx9XYY57VaDuSL5_gEeu31QbDc44ZVwPY6ew_BhfpN_6geWavwWpC1qBUT6Im_QWS_ExcuJQv1yDWD5rfN3edPuLNWS2qcWHv-uV5Pg/s1600/IMG_0137.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjmR4DsyqwMKqpa6Z_tA9aL3CkjXw57RVaGRW4Wx9XYY57VaDuSL5_gEeu31QbDc44ZVwPY6ew_BhfpN_6geWavwWpC1qBUT6Im_QWS_ExcuJQv1yDWD5rfN3edPuLNWS2qcWHv-uV5Pg/s400/IMG_0137.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The "old town" of Panama, a favourite spot for a few drinks, that huge ring you can see around it is a new motor way out in the sea, this wasn't here last year and a sorry sight to see if surrounding such a lovely bit of the city</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
As well as over the entrance to the Panama Canal on the Pacific cost:<br />
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIicWsjfn_VieU3Gd1eypCXZXg2RsvrkaGCKDs7znNzbkFO43fAFWFgdgu0nthi_i_YGwojtIJ35Rl1vwsZi-iYk7X4YNqlx76dxvld_bK7zGWPGHdUDyyOVoh7YFwh9ilu_uExudGnjA/s1600/IMG_0147.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIicWsjfn_VieU3Gd1eypCXZXg2RsvrkaGCKDs7znNzbkFO43fAFWFgdgu0nthi_i_YGwojtIJ35Rl1vwsZi-iYk7X4YNqlx76dxvld_bK7zGWPGHdUDyyOVoh7YFwh9ilu_uExudGnjA/s400/IMG_0147.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Giant cranes in action to move the shipping containers from the boats to the land at the Pacific entrance to the Panama canal<br />
<br />
<br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
In addition to some great views at the top we also had a great opportunity to see some local wildlife - which is always a massive excitement to me!<br />
<br />
Today we had the please of seeing snakes, eagles and tamarins. However their was one animal spot that completely made my day namely - el perezoso sue se cayó (the sloth who fell).<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf-8CS3NVrzWpKHhwhmOuSTLGZy5F16cOfIBDbh6BBY0_vwCNPGse3G88lI-kEBPdkQ89_RDn_YTOEdvVomYnZw8Y50Ie7AZ5gwEAaPGvBdPfW324t4lw5XYm8X5lLIOZwK2rfQheS4lo/s1600/IMG_0126.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf-8CS3NVrzWpKHhwhmOuSTLGZy5F16cOfIBDbh6BBY0_vwCNPGse3G88lI-kEBPdkQ89_RDn_YTOEdvVomYnZw8Y50Ie7AZ5gwEAaPGvBdPfW324t4lw5XYm8X5lLIOZwK2rfQheS4lo/s400/IMG_0126.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A little confused as to how he ended up on the floor!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
We stubbled across this gorgeous three-toed little fellow after the branch he was climbing on snapped and he fell to the ground.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmKGYVTwsf4dBO5AjOJTa_r4I0EJris7W0G-kkaMoegITDdm62hDOgB_KU65p4N9YkRTmoi0wM5pnJQ21aVSiUtCDpWJ7Hr7GgPdkM-uJqOvE1JtDMaMPtn-osMo4XVK3TpVshK1TAlHE/s1600/IMG_0130.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmKGYVTwsf4dBO5AjOJTa_r4I0EJris7W0G-kkaMoegITDdm62hDOgB_KU65p4N9YkRTmoi0wM5pnJQ21aVSiUtCDpWJ7Hr7GgPdkM-uJqOvE1JtDMaMPtn-osMo4XVK3TpVshK1TAlHE/s640/IMG_0130.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
Although looking a bit dazed and confused for quite some time we managed to get him on the path and he quickly (we as quickly as a sloth can move) started to make his way across the ground and back up to climbing a tree.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihb4QSJnFhjVTfz8Ytu7yhBAvtdSWz6rSv-IRPQ4iZn8XY6dE_byAgc5ftLRslPO-tW4mY0iiw52PAAX2uUQw7AdAHUlTNZLeU8xAOan0nNn_a1rbFtaq4LERPCZX5gY5Wxxk5dxfv9lU/s1600/IMG_0136.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihb4QSJnFhjVTfz8Ytu7yhBAvtdSWz6rSv-IRPQ4iZn8XY6dE_byAgc5ftLRslPO-tW4mY0iiw52PAAX2uUQw7AdAHUlTNZLeU8xAOan0nNn_a1rbFtaq4LERPCZX5gY5Wxxk5dxfv9lU/s640/IMG_0136.jpg" width="425" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Back on the climb</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizg62spt6sysddFCL9I_tBL4obZr8GKRvFeWzuwbGGWAY5l6MWt2BKXqj9ttMSWyhfRTPfP6xlRBcCnaeGf_vpLprdj8Bh3abKY67p0t-Y0I2LavpZv_BeRZktYiroL5fEtGwfERvI5J0/s1600/IMG_0132.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizg62spt6sysddFCL9I_tBL4obZr8GKRvFeWzuwbGGWAY5l6MWt2BKXqj9ttMSWyhfRTPfP6xlRBcCnaeGf_vpLprdj8Bh3abKY67p0t-Y0I2LavpZv_BeRZktYiroL5fEtGwfERvI5J0/s400/IMG_0132.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The sloth and I</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
It was the closet I have even been to one of these beautiful creatures and definitely something I won't forget.<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv8vxlsq9bTkP2jK-HN2BoQO3xQ5p5wmviQbZ2khXK8yRc52Vz7NDuRgUfXOQuqAjNmvC_GiZ8eCVm3uezUzIdG6_YpapCr3fA9glvI3qEiWXuAIIcGVMfFi9jRRFqUPfVYmGW-qymBIA/s1600/IMG_0131.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv8vxlsq9bTkP2jK-HN2BoQO3xQ5p5wmviQbZ2khXK8yRc52Vz7NDuRgUfXOQuqAjNmvC_GiZ8eCVm3uezUzIdG6_YpapCr3fA9glvI3qEiWXuAIIcGVMfFi9jRRFqUPfVYmGW-qymBIA/s400/IMG_0131.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Robin with the sloth</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Until next time<br />
<br />
Em x<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07582631687301170907noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1143080891955701372.post-41759911460837967002013-06-02T23:21:00.002+01:002013-06-03T02:06:53.494+01:00Panamá nuevoA long time has passed since I last put up a post for you all, but it has reached field work time again, this can mean only one things .... Panamá nuevo (Panama again).<br />
<br />
Having only just arrived I do not have too much to report for you but thought, its been a unexciting day of getting over jet lag and going in hunt of food. The fridge is now full of old favourites, avocados, spicy sauce, rum and local beer!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdPpQY4OQ-Ft9YQO4KZ1nr9RUIAnknBQKua7RPFJ1e98wsl-XENu3qYb-qN6ZQgViZwlR4Igo9mjrxAGAz9a70qI7bnAICyqGp_K-fcWnk2nnEyG4dhRvAgTBf8H1CoiV7TTMjw9PL6gY/s1600/IMG_0123.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdPpQY4OQ-Ft9YQO4KZ1nr9RUIAnknBQKua7RPFJ1e98wsl-XENu3qYb-qN6ZQgViZwlR4Igo9mjrxAGAz9a70qI7bnAICyqGp_K-fcWnk2nnEyG4dhRvAgTBf8H1CoiV7TTMjw9PL6gY/s320/IMG_0123.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
Although it also means back to horrid meat and cheese again - I'm having bree and camembert cravings already!<br />
<br />
Even in day 1 I have been back into animal spotting of course .... what else would you expect from a Zoologist abroad! I caught a snap of this gorgeous chap chilling on a tree outside our apartment.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipDma7awZitP7NecpFWzAjQJEYmasCAZfqaRGPI8QPUPdVYItBVfSufd_CVgnv4QUKGrTT_zt-FEoG1hMBOJsGn6zPg7CpmRSsof76vAu_09B2HssWMSb68FIu87tBFHS_OYC3CHo_WXI/s1600/IMG_0116.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipDma7awZitP7NecpFWzAjQJEYmasCAZfqaRGPI8QPUPdVYItBVfSufd_CVgnv4QUKGrTT_zt-FEoG1hMBOJsGn6zPg7CpmRSsof76vAu_09B2HssWMSb68FIu87tBFHS_OYC3CHo_WXI/s640/IMG_0116.jpg" width="425" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUWUbwTdjuyCkNHz080hy8-OxoAiaFOm6X2AlDDNlO6hkQtBoRH3EuAL4oevyOJ_9y64mWm3LjgesfJ6ZXF30c6eyXrzjHt6v1yyjq1Nkwt_h_YupeZAECace29DgV9jZvGrbUCxotFZ0/s1600/IMG_0121.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUWUbwTdjuyCkNHz080hy8-OxoAiaFOm6X2AlDDNlO6hkQtBoRH3EuAL4oevyOJ_9y64mWm3LjgesfJ6ZXF30c6eyXrzjHt6v1yyjq1Nkwt_h_YupeZAECace29DgV9jZvGrbUCxotFZ0/s320/IMG_0121.jpg" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ9mA_Y7uoK4Ab470jwM6iY1Xy7qk543geMU1M4BwMYfW1T3UKkOCEsNgQUWOE6muXTt13hvOqnRheduoG_518fXNXlvgjsD5flZwgN_rNoTuIBOnO8iLUMZm5KLwhiJbMPAgRUFMRrfY/s1600/IMG_0110.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ9mA_Y7uoK4Ab470jwM6iY1Xy7qk543geMU1M4BwMYfW1T3UKkOCEsNgQUWOE6muXTt13hvOqnRheduoG_518fXNXlvgjsD5flZwgN_rNoTuIBOnO8iLUMZm5KLwhiJbMPAgRUFMRrfY/s320/IMG_0110.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
And of course the ever lovely agouties!<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDr3J9kTBszR9FExdSDSPWOwis4YIJrbCSW0uZArap8ibz_HgaNNarUTrhe8Xw1aLKMaZCecxPWb8o5teJuCClFjuTApJbFH5qBX1OWnHSx1F4DoUh0YDshPqWR1r2-yCSdHvNh48dGd0/s1600/IMG_0117.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDr3J9kTBszR9FExdSDSPWOwis4YIJrbCSW0uZArap8ibz_HgaNNarUTrhe8Xw1aLKMaZCecxPWb8o5teJuCClFjuTApJbFH5qBX1OWnHSx1F4DoUh0YDshPqWR1r2-yCSdHvNh48dGd0/s640/IMG_0117.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
Talk to you all again soon.<br />
<br />
Love Em<br />
<br />
(no wasps yet, so no stings!)<br />
<br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07582631687301170907noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1143080891955701372.post-2096651434569611982012-07-21T18:57:00.002+01:002012-07-21T19:18:36.975+01:00Gamboa, BCI and the CanalWe have pretty much closed up shop on all experiments now and have only one more day to spend in Galeta to do a final few things before heading back to the UK.<br />
<br />
As such Lawrence and I have had a well deserved few days of explore Panama. However much of this exploring has involved visiting places and actually looking for wasps, so I guess that still counts as work right?<br />
<br />
The only sad aspect to this was that my faithful digital camera has finally giving up after years of service, which meant that the only camera we have now is on the iPad and the quality is not that great so my apologies!<br />
<br />
For the last two days we have been lucky enough to visit Gamboa and BCI.<br />
<br />
<br />
<u>17th July 2012 - Gamboa and down Pipeline Rd.</u><br />
<br />
Gamboa is a little town that is only about a 35min car journey from the centre or Panama City located on the edge of the Panama Canal and the Chagres River. The town was originally built to house people who worked with dredging the Canal during its construction and now although still inhabited by local Panamanians is home to hundreds of scientist every year who flock to this remote place to work with STRI and in the beautiful Soberania National Park which surrounds the town.<br />
<br />
We spent the morning hunting through the many abandoned buildings looking for our wasps with little luck. Lawrence of course was very happy to see his favour Panama Railway company Train again though!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMHezRZF5wPgBCF4yM1st5VcJfdi8qvMm4fJ-JyPOv-WOhefM93BLngLHu5wMvlg1ITK2ksAjRjePLTB05r1VCclPgwmckXu51ZOwDIwVNjfyW0gsC-69wWUfmxo2Yzynxitms5Q9HDMw/s1600/photo.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMHezRZF5wPgBCF4yM1st5VcJfdi8qvMm4fJ-JyPOv-WOhefM93BLngLHu5wMvlg1ITK2ksAjRjePLTB05r1VCclPgwmckXu51ZOwDIwVNjfyW0gsC-69wWUfmxo2Yzynxitms5Q9HDMw/s400/photo.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
In the afternoon we gave up hope of finding any wasps and heading up the world famous Pipeline road for a trek through the forest. As suggested by its name this road follows an old Pipeline that was once linked to the construction of the canal and is thought to be one of the best places to see birds in Central America (have to say we didn't spot that many - the bird of paradise plants were as close as we got) could hear the birds though!<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9asDak6NmQ4BYLlOie_qxQTED16Ya_UtbBns1yBdTIKcPK1MtqytIn2R12FVybmXqLVvQOZKHE1EF-UC0Lydcf5f4Ms5B-k24BS530b3Lk5Zrlbtu3iomk4t_NhbFR9yoiH2ehBgJUtQ/s1600/photo-24.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9asDak6NmQ4BYLlOie_qxQTED16Ya_UtbBns1yBdTIKcPK1MtqytIn2R12FVybmXqLVvQOZKHE1EF-UC0Lydcf5f4Ms5B-k24BS530b3Lk5Zrlbtu3iomk4t_NhbFR9yoiH2ehBgJUtQ/s640/photo-24.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
The road itself is over 24km road and so by foot we covered only a tiny part of it length but I will defiantly be going back for an explore next year and hope to take some much better photos of wildlife!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9ZviFCHeZ2RmSODkDg0jwcJmOpPTAMkxoL4Hv5UlCxemfXpjU4eOhsK1GwSpH5mWLxLKhcYdzUGyzxqoGDXwiM4qzEPMdX6p1gMnQivSm2-zBy5JBRntZmCT1vc5FX9koRTpKSYzPpMk/s1600/photo-23.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9ZviFCHeZ2RmSODkDg0jwcJmOpPTAMkxoL4Hv5UlCxemfXpjU4eOhsK1GwSpH5mWLxLKhcYdzUGyzxqoGDXwiM4qzEPMdX6p1gMnQivSm2-zBy5JBRntZmCT1vc5FX9koRTpKSYzPpMk/s400/photo-23.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
http://www.stri.si.edu/english/research/facilities/terrestrial/gamboa/index.php<br />
<br />
<br />
<u>18th July 2012 - Barro Colorado Island (BCI)</u><br />
<br />
The following day we got up extremely early for our trip to also famous Barro Colorado Island. This island is the largest found in Lake Gutun of the Panama Canal.<br />
<br />
The island itself was formed during the construction of the canal and the damming of the Chagres River which Gamboa sits on. This 3000acre island is now one of the most extensively studied areas of the tropics with over 200 scientist visiting it every year. Although once exclusively for researchers to visit it has be classed as a biological reserver since the early 1920s and is just an incredible place to visit.<br />
<br />
To start our day we caught a boat from Gamboa and got to travel along the Panama Canal, which in itself was incredible fun! It is hard to believe that this expanse of water cutting through an entire country was made by man, it looks so natural running throughout the landscape. The waters of the canal itself simply lap up the edge of huge espouses of outstandingly beautiful rainforest that make it look like it has always been hear, a wonderful feet of human engineering only to be marvelled at.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1WS_MNM06IWekGSiwe2zES2YR7ohUpJOsY4vsU-goZ4Bloo6ltfTwXgONa_qvajBUtLD0IEAbg_7xwBru4xphS_L2aTyAx3ALFA4qvHLLL6DX4ZKkEfmTWbvk4CEvX2oFXlghXT1708E/s1600/photo-15.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1WS_MNM06IWekGSiwe2zES2YR7ohUpJOsY4vsU-goZ4Bloo6ltfTwXgONa_qvajBUtLD0IEAbg_7xwBru4xphS_L2aTyAx3ALFA4qvHLLL6DX4ZKkEfmTWbvk4CEvX2oFXlghXT1708E/s400/photo-15.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj4dQyLxT3dTmq2v1AisOXRSX2R6k2fhbHybv9XJKdjCNJARCWicMTKz06-nA7mYwVPguDp6yxjhrbx9OjA-Ti0JxIAzKoPmd5rntW1crHqi3M2NYxanvJxqlGUY-Fk6tb9dW2UDKCH7s/s1600/photo-16.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj4dQyLxT3dTmq2v1AisOXRSX2R6k2fhbHybv9XJKdjCNJARCWicMTKz06-nA7mYwVPguDp6yxjhrbx9OjA-Ti0JxIAzKoPmd5rntW1crHqi3M2NYxanvJxqlGUY-Fk6tb9dW2UDKCH7s/s400/photo-16.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
We passed and over took many of the huge shipping containers which towered over us and landed at the dock on BCI some time later.<br />
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4Iqr8eLIITytRmia4LVElLuZixrSWzkOj5IslddZQHFMDTnI2wIbT-lstO7pvEvu_ZoW_2VLAIDpFXSP_2nr1kwCWfp1fuLy2BTj9c3YvTaEMIoa5OcDNwdVRvenVA2CaBNUO8tVpMZM/s1600/photo-10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4Iqr8eLIITytRmia4LVElLuZixrSWzkOj5IslddZQHFMDTnI2wIbT-lstO7pvEvu_ZoW_2VLAIDpFXSP_2nr1kwCWfp1fuLy2BTj9c3YvTaEMIoa5OcDNwdVRvenVA2CaBNUO8tVpMZM/s640/photo-10.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A view over Laboratory Cove<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> </span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
As with Gamboa our main aim of the day was to go hunting around for our wasps so we spent a couple of hours hunting all over buildings around the docks and following the advice of people who has seen them. Although we found several nests it was no where near as many as we have a Galeta, which was disappointing. Although we found thousands of ants and some other cool insects over the course of the day!<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDgN7_zR2F1USUEW2yPvVPN5oSD3wYvCO309C1D8D8m1f-HZZAVMtHJcpPvFvmWq-b3XoFQl4Ebh0vZBDQaFHsqwUbPCOW1cFQcFAukZOC5M4xBUXmQoqDEPJLxhd7JoTf_f9VU97uKqE/s1600/photo-19.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDgN7_zR2F1USUEW2yPvVPN5oSD3wYvCO309C1D8D8m1f-HZZAVMtHJcpPvFvmWq-b3XoFQl4Ebh0vZBDQaFHsqwUbPCOW1cFQcFAukZOC5M4xBUXmQoqDEPJLxhd7JoTf_f9VU97uKqE/s400/photo-19.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
We then spent the rest of the day spending time following the trails which cover the whole of the island, past people research projects that were spotted through out the entire jungle. Within seconds you disappear to the beautiful rainforest and completely forget that you are on a small island in the middle of the canal! The reality of being there is very hard to put into words or bad photos taken on a iPad but the whole island is just a magical place. With fantastic plants, monkeys calling to each other and bouncing around the trees to the incredible wildlife that can be found just beneath your feet on the forest floor.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_Zsakj2mwi7AiTAkWUGU7kPD3WO1yiv8Y6KCUjdY25D1sySS8izSLDetZqWDN3dP0tk2LIW0PaE1TDefkrHPAN_dnf4cxwl4CUoNgWK8PSnWrQ7w7l0RXxYN_NQVKYeAKN-FiiuvV2YQ/s1600/photo-20.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_Zsakj2mwi7AiTAkWUGU7kPD3WO1yiv8Y6KCUjdY25D1sySS8izSLDetZqWDN3dP0tk2LIW0PaE1TDefkrHPAN_dnf4cxwl4CUoNgWK8PSnWrQ7w7l0RXxYN_NQVKYeAKN-FiiuvV2YQ/s640/photo-20.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc9lBqakmqSnasFdvsdTChLLcNjJcU48-RJrJ7G7BoD_aMPsu_6QB0P5C2BSMa0MWO0XASPyPz67zQdSTxt55Pud6M6f11hpV3yiTvkIRRLx-N3fmgJOh7I_sYnlVif_XlpdskDVwrTNQ/s1600/photo-7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc9lBqakmqSnasFdvsdTChLLcNjJcU48-RJrJ7G7BoD_aMPsu_6QB0P5C2BSMa0MWO0XASPyPz67zQdSTxt55Pud6M6f11hpV3yiTvkIRRLx-N3fmgJOh7I_sYnlVif_XlpdskDVwrTNQ/s640/photo-7.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Me at the bottom of "BIG TREE"</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRut-rHn50pC0vzH4HvK7OEfpx1f2K0BkeaKdUeADtdC3JlUEApgJu0jayA6tff9RaGmiNzsw6G9pOGAegSKNcTMqVRTqEyYfAZm-6MiOP_q_JVi6TOMh0i6Eo1ewez52LlAG-3FJsYEY/s1600/photo-22.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRut-rHn50pC0vzH4HvK7OEfpx1f2K0BkeaKdUeADtdC3JlUEApgJu0jayA6tff9RaGmiNzsw6G9pOGAegSKNcTMqVRTqEyYfAZm-6MiOP_q_JVi6TOMh0i6Eo1ewez52LlAG-3FJsYEY/s400/photo-22.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A litte fluffy friend that crossed out path</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUymsvLCJJtfvQ1xDuXIAKNKAQaQQUym7Qm2j9yrjFj4ZQt1E-avRuZ5gzYP8qXr9-H-x7AknZhafvRis-6rw6MWAZW-Wyd5Aq-AbIv3yO7MZKz91tLFdlIdoLqpCOC_dPCspFhnllFOU/s1600/photo-23.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUymsvLCJJtfvQ1xDuXIAKNKAQaQQUym7Qm2j9yrjFj4ZQt1E-avRuZ5gzYP8qXr9-H-x7AknZhafvRis-6rw6MWAZW-Wyd5Aq-AbIv3yO7MZKz91tLFdlIdoLqpCOC_dPCspFhnllFOU/s640/photo-23.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Me on the edge of the Panama Canal on BCI</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOhUkQRKBzFtbOu0sdN1UXBe0PbG2iETbgbGWJb_PgtU-HeBcmcnAddn2iWRFYjPiB7rB-MBmkZJ_urcnw6fYlZEtjm830EafE7bGM6KTMGHbyhuVWx-yICI7Mc6H_7b9OtxRmrcjwNNU/s1600/photo-8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOhUkQRKBzFtbOu0sdN1UXBe0PbG2iETbgbGWJb_PgtU-HeBcmcnAddn2iWRFYjPiB7rB-MBmkZJ_urcnw6fYlZEtjm830EafE7bGM6KTMGHbyhuVWx-yICI7Mc6H_7b9OtxRmrcjwNNU/s400/photo-8.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lawrence loving the jungle!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
We both had an amazing day here and felt particular honoured to be able to visit such a unique and special area of scientific interest. I can't wait to go back and explore more this spectacular place.<br />
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggf-Z6KwnLVm0y3X91F8JHhTRAlnDqhaYCxbed6SW_Yi_d7SBgZxTdzZT39HVM-JTPSjIkxS0Cqq8XPwcTbbv0DHoehSoOqQxFluuiRQwpwsbksXEmwBGej3P4Db-V_jMkM3cWXDPFyHM/s1600/photo-5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggf-Z6KwnLVm0y3X91F8JHhTRAlnDqhaYCxbed6SW_Yi_d7SBgZxTdzZT39HVM-JTPSjIkxS0Cqq8XPwcTbbv0DHoehSoOqQxFluuiRQwpwsbksXEmwBGej3P4Db-V_jMkM3cWXDPFyHM/s640/photo-5.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A very steamy and sweaty photo of Lawrence and I under under big tree</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
For a bit more info about BCI and its history check out the STRI website<br />
http://www.stri.si.edu/english/visit_us/barro_colorado/history.phpAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07582631687301170907noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1143080891955701372.post-54012272637416331022012-07-13T04:36:00.002+01:002012-07-13T04:36:30.444+01:00Proteja Los Animales<br />
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Hello all a zoologist abroad here again.</span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Its my last few weeks here of Panama. Not too much news to report, we are starting to close down many nests for experiments, collecting samples and making sure all our data is ready to be brought back to the UK for analysis.</span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">For this post today I thought I would share with you some of the brilliant animal spots we have had here. Much of the country is built up of National Parks and many of the people who work in these areas are very proud of their natural heritage (although this is not always clear from the volumes of rubbish seen in the cities) they have some fantastic wildlife here that photos do not really do justice too.</span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">So as this road sign suggests "Proteja Los Animales" as they really are wonderful!</span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3FA5q7Na2iVC37zpgJbpWlJhqu4Gx0BkK821VZMr2H8xToyZqGlKGesFIIWSUf1xRA2gWSciZwXyvanuAOFClRkE-OE6zbXTVcTTfHGiLB9V0_h7fVMtPuOmsBphj_xBwqj6COvlaWvo/s1600/IMG_5552.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3FA5q7Na2iVC37zpgJbpWlJhqu4Gx0BkK821VZMr2H8xToyZqGlKGesFIIWSUf1xRA2gWSciZwXyvanuAOFClRkE-OE6zbXTVcTTfHGiLB9V0_h7fVMtPuOmsBphj_xBwqj6COvlaWvo/s320/IMG_5552.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Night census' are often a great time for animal spots and we have seen some rather large boa's, possums and crocodiles.</span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfDhy3PEQ_EMgYgDFE0RB-P3kEgY9geQKPKCblTdssMyZsbnYPs54_V6dADoftGVk0Y4KEbAukECZ93tGoMUk3eRboE-u1uEEf_L6LVTqq5pqS1ZBgXxxf5Kuw_pYc6DS4zEwpmHyjcVw/s1600/IMG_5641.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfDhy3PEQ_EMgYgDFE0RB-P3kEgY9geQKPKCblTdssMyZsbnYPs54_V6dADoftGVk0Y4KEbAukECZ93tGoMUk3eRboE-u1uEEf_L6LVTqq5pqS1ZBgXxxf5Kuw_pYc6DS4zEwpmHyjcVw/s640/IMG_5641.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">There are many stunning butterflies here but they fly past so quickly that it is almost impossible to take a photo of them in the forest. We ask to go for an explore in the entomology collection in STRI and I took some photos of the following beauties (obviously some wasps in there too!).</span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUrc0TPH0WyIGB7ywLy7wz0tgyBOOx66OakOqm_9sJd0PJQumbxj_Zb8E58TIu9Ti4qqxSy06_i98pYFAgpUWcNWXdwUeWv1hRtTQncjBl7f3jiErJgbDaMjwX1v_06kNCVdfWlmaWn0Y/s1600/IMG_6117.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUrc0TPH0WyIGB7ywLy7wz0tgyBOOx66OakOqm_9sJd0PJQumbxj_Zb8E58TIu9Ti4qqxSy06_i98pYFAgpUWcNWXdwUeWv1hRtTQncjBl7f3jiErJgbDaMjwX1v_06kNCVdfWlmaWn0Y/s400/IMG_6117.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn2NMD6oB7pwMnOcPAQxR-Wo2hOypSzOy_c2sMQpaLn6BmxZjjwXuOWEr4UzUC_i-yqFBqsbXkUUtf1kE70DUONd-f9K61U7MBtvbLnMGsEgg0IKYSJvvPArdM22R4RraWWxtyEZBODzA/s1600/IMG_6126.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn2NMD6oB7pwMnOcPAQxR-Wo2hOypSzOy_c2sMQpaLn6BmxZjjwXuOWEr4UzUC_i-yqFBqsbXkUUtf1kE70DUONd-f9K61U7MBtvbLnMGsEgg0IKYSJvvPArdM22R4RraWWxtyEZBODzA/s400/IMG_6126.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXCce5Veb93rb2KEhFOtwzn5vjk1Rgxt6QwKD7mbnhiU8wZbrylEq1JxgOEANInyo4kBqiyOh1Ks_FBL-Fu_Pm42hEzgfZclrV7HUWkpInh1dTIl95397K9whrTAQtgBdBnoFLzJl8Ogc/s1600/IMG_6127.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXCce5Veb93rb2KEhFOtwzn5vjk1Rgxt6QwKD7mbnhiU8wZbrylEq1JxgOEANInyo4kBqiyOh1Ks_FBL-Fu_Pm42hEzgfZclrV7HUWkpInh1dTIl95397K9whrTAQtgBdBnoFLzJl8Ogc/s400/IMG_6127.jpg" width="266" /></a></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">There are numerous others of creepy crawlies around Galeta, here is just a few we have seen.</span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9705DWpL5ENyZku7-HRHptZQzL5F14obYOSlM37RFGVboKDK7beK5th2DtCyjbyPsegRmGWGz1SDMqayorcJ7pTZtfsu3PeJJKwGyz9phGoOxG8Zypf42vyVHJsxfQmH-C74N6XHSp80/s1600/IMG_5493.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9705DWpL5ENyZku7-HRHptZQzL5F14obYOSlM37RFGVboKDK7beK5th2DtCyjbyPsegRmGWGz1SDMqayorcJ7pTZtfsu3PeJJKwGyz9phGoOxG8Zypf42vyVHJsxfQmH-C74N6XHSp80/s400/IMG_5493.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOw8Ntzghq-_bvPv3T_sdHUKvoYuIQyMe8gILW_nl1YbixT2D3vIl8HrIwDiXQzXtmf21i1C-Mqu64GJ66mMUP0IPh7hArErTYfvuWWGUO8UjStXcFtjne91jtIBg_Ettd1JahdLjKOTA/s1600/IMG_5498.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOw8Ntzghq-_bvPv3T_sdHUKvoYuIQyMe8gILW_nl1YbixT2D3vIl8HrIwDiXQzXtmf21i1C-Mqu64GJ66mMUP0IPh7hArErTYfvuWWGUO8UjStXcFtjne91jtIBg_Ettd1JahdLjKOTA/s640/IMG_5498.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Working on the Caribbean means there is lots of great sea-life, will definitely miss just being able to go for a quick snorkel after work.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxioHGuPkPlNeoTyie8IWk7U-V4ieJ8RCJD1bL7Ce0hRFVNIJ6OHHZWCeCrPp7CCdiwvxfXeR5iglBbpZXthh-0YxndoOA8QAjhd9w3br-8_CBzozjYczcP50CYQYIsZMwRedsSMv-Gyo/s1600/IMG_5468.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxioHGuPkPlNeoTyie8IWk7U-V4ieJ8RCJD1bL7Ce0hRFVNIJ6OHHZWCeCrPp7CCdiwvxfXeR5iglBbpZXthh-0YxndoOA8QAjhd9w3br-8_CBzozjYczcP50CYQYIsZMwRedsSMv-Gyo/s400/IMG_5468.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFZNXYIbhgfkxUVGsfmxgGbKJeg1bQtvLktQB25yw8Ljb-73MRbBBbr2u85K2862gnUMWxY_BUjxQzg-feXk8r67iS0IpRdLBOqE0t42wOwswePkEY9Tum_JzyEMUP0-eIbZZ-Zigi_BQ/s1600/IMG_5445.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFZNXYIbhgfkxUVGsfmxgGbKJeg1bQtvLktQB25yw8Ljb-73MRbBBbr2u85K2862gnUMWxY_BUjxQzg-feXk8r67iS0IpRdLBOqE0t42wOwswePkEY9Tum_JzyEMUP0-eIbZZ-Zigi_BQ/s400/IMG_5445.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">However, of all the animals I have seen my favourites have to be the sloths. They are really beautiful creatures and here we are lucky enough to see some almost everyday! We have seen both species of sloth, the two and three toed, and even some with their babies.</span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaQaMQYZ8iqD2EPwt-TeqCl3TDDLyvlc8c9XsE_jskqOfZluDxObaazCnPrTiU0NJzDlw4ili_leUkOMNLAP_kh0OBsbpWLOUrI6KbGgpSe_s7HBVDbZn1NGRBAfy-_Gi9T-LSh3GKyWw/s1600/IMG_5478.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaQaMQYZ8iqD2EPwt-TeqCl3TDDLyvlc8c9XsE_jskqOfZluDxObaazCnPrTiU0NJzDlw4ili_leUkOMNLAP_kh0OBsbpWLOUrI6KbGgpSe_s7HBVDbZn1NGRBAfy-_Gi9T-LSh3GKyWw/s640/IMG_5478.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Two-toed sloth</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmkDta4Pv89YWPwv5OygDgXyCAfKft3S-fjZ5nEa9boBdagyfC76i3oAzkC3q_fFJASZgj4-Ro8hGgi28jTWKlYAOHlHv136SCsa4Ny2II7wkvCvf7pPnwbyGAevFaBZJAvalq45X6N6E/s1600/IMG_5656.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmkDta4Pv89YWPwv5OygDgXyCAfKft3S-fjZ5nEa9boBdagyfC76i3oAzkC3q_fFJASZgj4-Ro8hGgi28jTWKlYAOHlHv136SCsa4Ny2II7wkvCvf7pPnwbyGAevFaBZJAvalq45X6N6E/s640/IMG_5656.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tree hugging three-toed sloth</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlx2nbt2DgyqRHWpeebNhm8rKxelOz5ftPZonuH78euAxDQM64D6QvDuKDC272O2ki3Z7rdlwY4fcIoLIhSYAOdi7-u-pRID6ICK3_6KhRfjDgd0ZDLJL-QtUn7X8krxiv8oRn6ygRhIs/s1600/photo-4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlx2nbt2DgyqRHWpeebNhm8rKxelOz5ftPZonuH78euAxDQM64D6QvDuKDC272O2ki3Z7rdlwY4fcIoLIhSYAOdi7-u-pRID6ICK3_6KhRfjDgd0ZDLJL-QtUn7X8krxiv8oRn6ygRhIs/s640/photo-4.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07582631687301170907noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1143080891955701372.post-39090161153623537782012-07-06T23:04:00.000+01:002012-07-06T23:10:59.796+01:00And then there were two...Hello all,<br />
<br />
Apologises for not being in touch very much recently we have been having issues with the internet and we have only just managed to get in back in out apartment.<br />
<br />
As such it now means I can now keep you all up to date with the going ons in Panama.<br />
<br />
Not to much new news to report, we have all been working extremely hard at the moment. As the rains of July increase in number the nests are continuing to get bigger and bigger, with lots of babies emerging. Hence our work load seems to be getting bigger and bigger! One of our nest now has a count of 44 individuals (not looking forwards to collecting that one!)<br />
<br />
On a sadder not both Solenn and Robin have now left Panama and are back in the UK and the US leaving Lawrence, me and wasps to finish of this field season.<br />
<br />
As I don't have too much news I thought I would share with you all some recent photographs.<br />
<br />
On an evening way home from work we got delayed in Colon for one of the huge Panama Canal Company Trains which carries shipping containers from one end of the country to another. These trains often carry hundreds of containers, move extremely slow and can take up to 30mins to pass. As such there was only one this to do get out and watch it go past!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7MmUHxVM764fu33_Q7YeQbchjensRP7K-3jx6JqZt_z-ZAU9sUoN7a9_euLDTWMcyMcxY3hTtawJjHmnLk-q2R9kuFIBXBXp5-8kU05d4bfcUTP0ElahQqChZFj9wbRRXsaSEav2rFcE/s1600/photo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7MmUHxVM764fu33_Q7YeQbchjensRP7K-3jx6JqZt_z-ZAU9sUoN7a9_euLDTWMcyMcxY3hTtawJjHmnLk-q2R9kuFIBXBXp5-8kU05d4bfcUTP0ElahQqChZFj9wbRRXsaSEav2rFcE/s400/photo.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
Robin our saviour and the last minute field assistant left only a few days ago and as treat to say thank for you all the fantastic work he did we decided to treat him to a week in San Blas (this was also a great treat for me as I really wanted to go back). This time we stayed on a different island called Chichime which was a lot further out than Robinson Island and it was absolutely beautiful.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYJ5hN6HKeML2cZoh4jbceWtpMuh5KVVYbDDKAWrFcqKT10ljqKYsNflNSKfnUfV3fXomuE_Th0amEwiDxNbJqigpvPu1C1aqcxuqCp8HKebIjPmjlQ6dpcVxsaqlvvVe1F_oqoC4seGs/s1600/IMG_5663.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYJ5hN6HKeML2cZoh4jbceWtpMuh5KVVYbDDKAWrFcqKT10ljqKYsNflNSKfnUfV3fXomuE_Th0amEwiDxNbJqigpvPu1C1aqcxuqCp8HKebIjPmjlQ6dpcVxsaqlvvVe1F_oqoC4seGs/s640/IMG_5663.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
It was a much larger island (maybe 20mins to walk round instead of 10) and had a bit more forest in the middle. The family of Umberto lived on this island and they have only 2 huts for visitors to sleep in which meant that only 5 of us spent the night on the island. Really was our own personal tropical paradise island for a few days (and best of all no sand flies this time).<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCelQPFWNYItdgtgtQDuObog43tl-8TMS5i4zIRnvK9HYFWIoM-j4s-aeyp56UTc9suaIUypHz9bVdTodb-TSAlRsXlTdadNQBvbkBfXcuIbGGE3q25NQUPPq3r0_fIWBtdj9lM0JTU3k/s1600/IMG_5660.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCelQPFWNYItdgtgtQDuObog43tl-8TMS5i4zIRnvK9HYFWIoM-j4s-aeyp56UTc9suaIUypHz9bVdTodb-TSAlRsXlTdadNQBvbkBfXcuIbGGE3q25NQUPPq3r0_fIWBtdj9lM0JTU3k/s400/IMG_5660.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
Robin, Lawrence and I spent most of the day snorkelling around the beautiful reef that surrounded the island and found a few great things to look at.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh22y1T-iwJ7ZxJnrrJbG9HJG7lNpvJMfhVEmWjRa0zCC-dYHI8E0YuDJrnLgMeLa5PjW0pQHacoYHrNDeLgYZ_CrjvA5vze4NHQhGPHGvZ8s5UYP52JK6jhVzyB_FxN60waMrz4B-HyYE/s1600/IMG_5662.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh22y1T-iwJ7ZxJnrrJbG9HJG7lNpvJMfhVEmWjRa0zCC-dYHI8E0YuDJrnLgMeLa5PjW0pQHacoYHrNDeLgYZ_CrjvA5vze4NHQhGPHGvZ8s5UYP52JK6jhVzyB_FxN60waMrz4B-HyYE/s640/IMG_5662.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
As this island was a lot closer to Columbia many sail boats were docked near this and the neighbouring island and many of their inhabitants came ashore in the evening and we were able to share an evening with fellow travellers.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpVwYTufghF2KfDGz5MEisYGiGBPD25DQtf_hi-BT2_w6m6YufNAxgR68J_NT46jDKWaQnwXSL9AEy9akw_hbPK47SE3HC5gb37Yqtv3bUtd-Lw4YBr4fHvxHcWWHSLdYJ0Es-jqfnsNI/s1600/IMG_5674.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpVwYTufghF2KfDGz5MEisYGiGBPD25DQtf_hi-BT2_w6m6YufNAxgR68J_NT46jDKWaQnwXSL9AEy9akw_hbPK47SE3HC5gb37Yqtv3bUtd-Lw4YBr4fHvxHcWWHSLdYJ0Es-jqfnsNI/s640/IMG_5674.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
Perhaps the most exciting news of the weekend was that whilst taking a walk around the island we saw several insect flying past us and as the three of us have our eye in for wasps we were all delighted to see that the thing flying past us was in fact <i>Polistes canadensis </i>and that of all the 360 islands we picked to go to we chose one that had a population of our lovely wasps!<br />
<br />
How they managed to get to such an isolated place so far from the mainland remains a mystery!<br />
<br />
Thats it for now must go, with only two of us left we have to get back to work!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9_oTfeWnxufnNgTcG-9jr2Z1gcP3l_MCSgjYUzIcYDU9YCZ7LKgzyFnaulmhm3wCzwiFsOCbOsKANm0JS2KMLS4IWS_xuUlXshO5Zk4fW7X4p-ezgJMt0zS_D9Sg8y7f9GfbjfXgqqgQ/s1600/IMG_5672.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9_oTfeWnxufnNgTcG-9jr2Z1gcP3l_MCSgjYUzIcYDU9YCZ7LKgzyFnaulmhm3wCzwiFsOCbOsKANm0JS2KMLS4IWS_xuUlXshO5Zk4fW7X4p-ezgJMt0zS_D9Sg8y7f9GfbjfXgqqgQ/s400/IMG_5672.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07582631687301170907noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1143080891955701372.post-80682308591229397272012-06-18T02:25:00.000+01:002012-06-18T02:25:57.714+01:00So we had a little problem with the car….<br />
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
So we had a little problem with our hire car, and before you all panic nope there were no accidents, everyone is fine, no police problems to cut a very long story short it basically just meant we didn't have access to it for a few days.</div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
These fews days happened to fall whilst Solenn was off looking for new wasp locations in Bocas. So as per normal when things keep going wrong at the moment we head off to STRI to see what we could do. </div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
And this was the solution ….. a STRI pick up!</div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKWOwk7v0Tc0Da7pNsZ34xtm4kK7neBARDe8lUjC4MV40C6S9VuZqck_YWtlEKzFVHnrT7T4U4Fw4JIP2m-KP0HXSK_SDHen8zre9A_1qVSdglRLzI1D94zStb6aoJsS_eUMzgpoWYggQ/s1600/IMG_5582.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKWOwk7v0Tc0Da7pNsZ34xtm4kK7neBARDe8lUjC4MV40C6S9VuZqck_YWtlEKzFVHnrT7T4U4Fw4JIP2m-KP0HXSK_SDHen8zre9A_1qVSdglRLzI1D94zStb6aoJsS_eUMzgpoWYggQ/s640/IMG_5582.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
As the only person left with a driving licence it fell to me to do all the driving for the last few days! Robin and Lawrence thoroughly enjoyed having it as they could ride in the back and said that they felt like they were real field biologists!</div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI-Ymb1pi1ARLQDorAlbvhOqcU6Wj-YL0x5OKBKxclSFKkuHyAWuBEVtmII2Oerfa0-kBlja29uRNdqwNbfPJdHPapfrd9SrbXKW-ryHSXrnFvQE0lvvUF-IqdHM7cMae8Obj4rb7xelQ/s1600/IMG_5578.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI-Ymb1pi1ARLQDorAlbvhOqcU6Wj-YL0x5OKBKxclSFKkuHyAWuBEVtmII2Oerfa0-kBlja29uRNdqwNbfPJdHPapfrd9SrbXKW-ryHSXrnFvQE0lvvUF-IqdHM7cMae8Obj4rb7xelQ/s320/IMG_5578.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnR0h49Uz68toG77XBAyS7rwMnC-6tdFDWZt3bKR7S3fr0_nwclnYwvhUQdh_SJDyniqXxzrh2CQ9jBJOaAzHeamLeF-31i3eQKyWQ1488gQtIVdsmfMQyNkWzvbPy4OgrnSrJDYx2tnM/s1600/IMG_5583.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnR0h49Uz68toG77XBAyS7rwMnC-6tdFDWZt3bKR7S3fr0_nwclnYwvhUQdh_SJDyniqXxzrh2CQ9jBJOaAzHeamLeF-31i3eQKyWQ1488gQtIVdsmfMQyNkWzvbPy4OgrnSrJDYx2tnM/s320/IMG_5583.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
Although I think Lawrence decided that the boat was more exciting!</div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFZxJDKct8YHe28kYeuMKboSizME3kG2MTRbUDnuqAv2-XEO6BCLO95V3uJOicU73Eflx-0cM-HPtZuhcSkb2Gn7AkXL10adRosNmxjiJ6exLAeOVCV15zk32oe1y7Nius3K8oAqvwMPk/s1600/IMG_5591.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFZxJDKct8YHe28kYeuMKboSizME3kG2MTRbUDnuqAv2-XEO6BCLO95V3uJOicU73Eflx-0cM-HPtZuhcSkb2Gn7AkXL10adRosNmxjiJ6exLAeOVCV15zk32oe1y7Nius3K8oAqvwMPk/s400/IMG_5591.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
We also decided that this pick up came with a number of other bonuses namely the official government number plate which meant that at the police check between Panama City and Colon the police men simple smiled at us waved us past stating that there was no need to see my driving licence and that he hope we have a nice day!</div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimZXW-B47teDA2Bk_NlA3lnGnS14sPxTeGn6oBhYkFy5ri2BepIvht0A_I2ePGTj5RXg3gcqGk67E7kogm2CZG0vPgHvDYBW3Jae2jCa1R7G_-fDbitRmW3U2__kTHeWGbC-o0-l7iXdI/s1600/IMG_5590.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimZXW-B47teDA2Bk_NlA3lnGnS14sPxTeGn6oBhYkFy5ri2BepIvht0A_I2ePGTj5RXg3gcqGk67E7kogm2CZG0vPgHvDYBW3Jae2jCa1R7G_-fDbitRmW3U2__kTHeWGbC-o0-l7iXdI/s640/IMG_5590.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07582631687301170907noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1143080891955701372.post-90932988117211729542012-06-13T05:19:00.003+01:002012-06-13T05:21:30.422+01:00The Pirates of Portabello<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Sat 2nd June 2011</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Last weeks some friend of from Koo's Boomsma's groups came with us on a half day to Galeta as they wanted to explore the Caribbean coast of Panama a bit.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX3uWResuwzmyyHa6AmKtat9uS0Gvl7VIqe3_gSzw6RtuySAy1IDBJ2kInLpJVDfaje8vdc74j6k_Ppy5evGG7t2ughTEiYVZNOTMbZtthNN4S12ngzbEt-qkujjzr9IlrvBBP9LFdLM4/s1600/IMG_5723.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX3uWResuwzmyyHa6AmKtat9uS0Gvl7VIqe3_gSzw6RtuySAy1IDBJ2kInLpJVDfaje8vdc74j6k_Ppy5evGG7t2ughTEiYVZNOTMbZtthNN4S12ngzbEt-qkujjzr9IlrvBBP9LFdLM4/s640/IMG_5723.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lawrence and I working hard censusing nests</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">After showing them the fun times of team wasp we went for an explore along the coast of Colon province to Portabello.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDhonx3wbWCQq-kXaNp1UVonllzQ2Wajb2bhvnrW7QVOgiLcQLp4UOcTLAkZsiQolvlta6jp32suwucq3k5rHTvDUHKysLk9cX8AtKbe7QaP6AAGwtx8EzL0o4aNEK-kb1llY7Jz76qnQ/s1600/IMG_5783.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDhonx3wbWCQq-kXaNp1UVonllzQ2Wajb2bhvnrW7QVOgiLcQLp4UOcTLAkZsiQolvlta6jp32suwucq3k5rHTvDUHKysLk9cX8AtKbe7QaP6AAGwtx8EzL0o4aNEK-kb1llY7Jz76qnQ/s400/IMG_5783.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sabastian and Juainto look like they are loving wasp work!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><br /></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">This now small fishing villages was named by Christopher Columbus who called it the Puerto Bello which means beautiful port. Although now a sleepy little village it was once one of the greatest ports in Panama with a large spanish fortress to protect the vast treasures that would pass through its gateways and attacks from pirates!</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><br /></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Hard to imagine this now though!</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWxBX-BghUYbcyWQJZVOvp9rg1Es9jZATVQQmSee-QrDctGeViEz4FRqKiwAcNmiqQTJlMYjWbUXXu3OjPnw80krMwaobesHeQRGqV1kLx70onw4tQVru4X7nGBgGN6j4vicQFfndUG5o/s1600/IMG_5795.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWxBX-BghUYbcyWQJZVOvp9rg1Es9jZATVQQmSee-QrDctGeViEz4FRqKiwAcNmiqQTJlMYjWbUXXu3OjPnw80krMwaobesHeQRGqV1kLx70onw4tQVru4X7nGBgGN6j4vicQFfndUG5o/s400/IMG_5795.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgAEsgrVT9Z-C9GmPJlS-3IiTGh9kBsI7WaIGvOHgMZmqBHoHl1zKSbX9WMVBn0cE5B89Oqw4MDp7lC0PRE_NuRUN3SdSETvPXEGbtHdVGAPhfnB0idc7UUQQS2ouC7ZlYlG1_00ci6YI/s1600/IMG_5799.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgAEsgrVT9Z-C9GmPJlS-3IiTGh9kBsI7WaIGvOHgMZmqBHoHl1zKSbX9WMVBn0cE5B89Oqw4MDp7lC0PRE_NuRUN3SdSETvPXEGbtHdVGAPhfnB0idc7UUQQS2ouC7ZlYlG1_00ci6YI/s400/IMG_5799.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">The San Jeronimo fort now only consists of ruins with old cannons still pointing out to the sea as much of it was dismantled and used in the construction of the canal and locks further down the coast.</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtHio7z0G4wrmlEZ4OgKnnNt66HqtFuTq-mcD6D1mrbmvN2CTHkGrVyLhZsLmz-lRFIqvBsiqioUd8JwRedSxExpj0YSpg1hYJ0h8jqfABlpCkQB3BZB9izmfsJcsQVwT8P8Qnl1D6w1s/s1600/IMG_5831.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtHio7z0G4wrmlEZ4OgKnnNt66HqtFuTq-mcD6D1mrbmvN2CTHkGrVyLhZsLmz-lRFIqvBsiqioUd8JwRedSxExpj0YSpg1hYJ0h8jqfABlpCkQB3BZB9izmfsJcsQVwT8P8Qnl1D6w1s/s400/IMG_5831.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Everyone appreciated the afternoon off and had we enjoyed watching thus sun go down from this remote spot.</span><br />
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><br /></span></span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjeTycmoBfNKJApcqjvl8kqS2_W2tNkSDdF5ftcV_M9gBQC8WngLL7IaGuWwAp5U34wkFT1zQ_vUhEPDiR4xWDlqgM9YbbLru5sVzWYT_bt6elk8NQOaj51SETlVoL54W1gEqygwiUvJA/s1600/IMG_5867.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjeTycmoBfNKJApcqjvl8kqS2_W2tNkSDdF5ftcV_M9gBQC8WngLL7IaGuWwAp5U34wkFT1zQ_vUhEPDiR4xWDlqgM9YbbLru5sVzWYT_bt6elk8NQOaj51SETlVoL54W1gEqygwiUvJA/s400/IMG_5867.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Robin looking pensive</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwCn4B7FzqAaRqw2opIYy2pfErkono7DAshlmrM1EHAzMe8AMUGB4m5cgyObewVcAmdlbP_7bovMWsXLBISJz8wrFSHOI2ZIy0M2n7ms8W1qphgRdRhe6BWKxViWSZggADGR0ZkknZo7k/s1600/IMG_5544.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwCn4B7FzqAaRqw2opIYy2pfErkono7DAshlmrM1EHAzMe8AMUGB4m5cgyObewVcAmdlbP_7bovMWsXLBISJz8wrFSHOI2ZIy0M2n7ms8W1qphgRdRhe6BWKxViWSZggADGR0ZkknZo7k/s400/IMG_5544.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lawrence doing what only a Lawrence can with a double thumbs up</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz8iXMljN5THqUhZbQiQIRhrxu0MH88IuCBCPhCPgxDJJJxyIzCuW6OwpQUwIZvNLZIGnQCbnX95ZyLP-I-L4N0DnKYPSgNg1Pte0lMbt4qq_LAqceGLzrn2_hNDq3FUtjFM7A8jzFTTo/s1600/IMG_5849.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz8iXMljN5THqUhZbQiQIRhrxu0MH88IuCBCPhCPgxDJJJxyIzCuW6OwpQUwIZvNLZIGnQCbnX95ZyLP-I-L4N0DnKYPSgNg1Pte0lMbt4qq_LAqceGLzrn2_hNDq3FUtjFM7A8jzFTTo/s400/IMG_5849.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sol loving not seeing wasps for an afternoon</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbVy2hVwkl_4lOvhNu-83gVYvQVAXaoCpBEW59uq0mZ2ajghMbPmeP323Omq0l_NTGv7Nmjfk6uP63W1NkGU_yTmXudoL4iuM-TfLNdYX-9dkMHxIoSC98PdVaxoAqxsPZ19wFqqXxKN0/s1600/IMG_5807.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbVy2hVwkl_4lOvhNu-83gVYvQVAXaoCpBEW59uq0mZ2ajghMbPmeP323Omq0l_NTGv7Nmjfk6uP63W1NkGU_yTmXudoL4iuM-TfLNdYX-9dkMHxIoSC98PdVaxoAqxsPZ19wFqqXxKN0/s400/IMG_5807.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Me also enjoying not seeing wasps for the afternoon</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><br /></span></span><br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">On our way back to panama we just had to stop and enjoy the beautiful sunset and the full moon lighting up the Caribbean.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglOWMroJjmE8J5kcPof5ulcl0NDiS0qIcVS1zVmKv9g8iSE6vtevQy5cIsg43ZjCtjEbR774Kc95elHHPAbQHKdK4d39kR0ymWT39T3f2ZHe7lZWj4QGPs_tFxhqLULMxoZ5SkxpgjD8w/s1600/IMG_5918.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglOWMroJjmE8J5kcPof5ulcl0NDiS0qIcVS1zVmKv9g8iSE6vtevQy5cIsg43ZjCtjEbR774Kc95elHHPAbQHKdK4d39kR0ymWT39T3f2ZHe7lZWj4QGPs_tFxhqLULMxoZ5SkxpgjD8w/s640/IMG_5918.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizENAZYZtr3nb8x5v1ydUcObKDQ0kGJsAIUY6z0Iwo9vcx-clEsbE36e6YaRdf0M_ytREOzkA78BS0GK_v6DMY7VDkeuwAPnWzt6H1k2A5OODkzYLcMkq24_hhjQaJYEfCd1OlTAyHnJ0/s1600/IMG_5925.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizENAZYZtr3nb8x5v1ydUcObKDQ0kGJsAIUY6z0Iwo9vcx-clEsbE36e6YaRdf0M_ytREOzkA78BS0GK_v6DMY7VDkeuwAPnWzt6H1k2A5OODkzYLcMkq24_hhjQaJYEfCd1OlTAyHnJ0/s640/IMG_5925.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07582631687301170907noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1143080891955701372.post-69695465284702007382012-06-01T06:21:00.000+01:002012-06-01T06:22:03.660+01:00My luck had to run out eventually!<br />
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
My luck finally ran out today as I got stung (multiple times) for the first time by my wasps.</div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
However I would like to point out that this attack was entirely unprovoked by me. It was not from a nest we are using with experiments as it is too big, it doesn't even have a nest ID! A "friendly" passing bird decided that it would pick today to attack a nest for its breakfast. The result of this was that a huge nest fell from the top of very high roof and landed on the entrance to one of the rooms I have a number of nests in. Not expecting to find a wasp nest on the floor I walked into room as normal and of course managed to stand directly on this nest! </div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgahHJk_rcvWrzlEEIxvfLajCHo7CmEbjM5nIzI7bmJFdJGGm8JLrEFXNVduIhu71jDbRe7IAJhECHV1DrOCe9VJLl3YysgQ0szI9jZddoOw5QDmcXVAaWKX6n9xkv_M2Mz8Q0mghftSMg/s1600/IMG_5516.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgahHJk_rcvWrzlEEIxvfLajCHo7CmEbjM5nIzI7bmJFdJGGm8JLrEFXNVduIhu71jDbRe7IAJhECHV1DrOCe9VJLl3YysgQ0szI9jZddoOw5QDmcXVAaWKX6n9xkv_M2Mz8Q0mghftSMg/s640/IMG_5516.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
Obviously the wasp were not terribly happy and dive boomed for my legs where by two of them gave me a lovely simultaneous sting just above my ankle! Needless to say the nest did not survive the day (mainly as the number of wasps that had come off it would have seriously upset some experimental nest).</div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
Although it stung at the time I managed to go for the rest of the day with out it hurting too much (although all the wasps I continued to work with for the rest of the day were particularly aggressive to me as they can smell the alarm pheromones let when a wasp stings on me!) However this evening I must admit I really am in rather a lot of pain!</div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTvvjI1_VAET1cAwGC1xUXidmQblmJwF0OZ-QMNFSakWlM6Ymhx5iAC57tj1er0ChfDRT8JC09acsEZNfvFB1cxDo0TrC61EHhOETvXdpDFCSJq42jVf2DUfaa-Xu0OSa9UK-JldCYgHQ/s1600/IMG_5522.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTvvjI1_VAET1cAwGC1xUXidmQblmJwF0OZ-QMNFSakWlM6Ymhx5iAC57tj1er0ChfDRT8JC09acsEZNfvFB1cxDo0TrC61EHhOETvXdpDFCSJq42jVf2DUfaa-Xu0OSa9UK-JldCYgHQ/s320/IMG_5522.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
But I would like to note that I went for a complete run of 61 days of working with live wasps before this happened!</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07582631687301170907noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1143080891955701372.post-74842796114228422192012-05-26T01:40:00.002+01:002012-05-26T01:41:33.139+01:00Sun, sweat and stings - a typical wasps day<br />
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
I have just realised how long it has been since I have written a blog post and for this I apologise.</div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
Things have been completely hectic here recently and there has hardly been moments to find time to sleep and eat let alone to share some storied with you all. However today I have managed to find some time and so I thought I would share with you what happens on a very typical wasp day out in the field. </div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
To start we leave Panama city and cross the entire width of the country (this only takes an hour) to the Province of Colon. This area, once a rich part of Central America due to the stashes of gold left by the real Pirates of the Caribbean, is now a truly impoverished area of Panama, with many people still living in slum like conditions and an associated high crime rate. It is also a really important area of Panama as there is the huge port of Colon where the Canal reaches the Caribbean. After competing with the trailer trucks hailing vast containers to and from the port along a rather bumpy road we reach the protected area of Punta Galeta which I have spoke about in previous posts.</div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
Once there we kit up wit all the stuff we will need for the day and head off to see the wasps.</div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
Days typically start with a census of all the nests, looking for and marking new wasps that appear on our nests. </div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi32lx9w73CUtdYlUlKPNmAnlQa5sUs9IAjHu-6NCaCies25b9hI8L9PWaqzi4bzbFxoXSmPjPULyBHLNOfpmarenXbSYJJ1PQIBEAJnL6oWgJShiYqTjqG1WQyOX510OC9vIB0bLVKe2A/s1600/IMG_5306.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi32lx9w73CUtdYlUlKPNmAnlQa5sUs9IAjHu-6NCaCies25b9hI8L9PWaqzi4bzbFxoXSmPjPULyBHLNOfpmarenXbSYJJ1PQIBEAJnL6oWgJShiYqTjqG1WQyOX510OC9vIB0bLVKe2A/s640/IMG_5306.jpg" width="425" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sol censusing a nest</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
We give carefully take them of the nest with forceps hold them tightly in our fingers and glue on a unique markings tag.</div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjnvCytbRNMc9JH6-4fnHL8HzdrqlfiW3iVAAwonymV13hhiVhRNf2xhucAWVSLNvFWeE0eTGr_gBshNkn1ft-bK_zih7lGi6LKZmxnG_Hape9cLtK3-e9-GvPQJX7dDIwwKPcXNzj0MI/s1600/IMG_5265.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjnvCytbRNMc9JH6-4fnHL8HzdrqlfiW3iVAAwonymV13hhiVhRNf2xhucAWVSLNvFWeE0eTGr_gBshNkn1ft-bK_zih7lGi6LKZmxnG_Hape9cLtK3-e9-GvPQJX7dDIwwKPcXNzj0MI/s400/IMG_5265.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
Sometimes when marking a whole new nest we simply grab all the wasps using a zip-lock bag - very technical!</div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_d-fr_Ikfx_TW2KTxhRKEglBUxZbA-ytUQtGncWOFgCNh8h3rd5254ZDqW29HVJCnm9tpDEWIsYdGJF9yWsVgQ4xFNLl_cE5Mn_hOsbLW2crHxkS4AlTZeI9mUgBvQX7Bnc2ZbLUov-Q/s1600/IMG_5611.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_d-fr_Ikfx_TW2KTxhRKEglBUxZbA-ytUQtGncWOFgCNh8h3rd5254ZDqW29HVJCnm9tpDEWIsYdGJF9yWsVgQ4xFNLl_cE5Mn_hOsbLW2crHxkS4AlTZeI9mUgBvQX7Bnc2ZbLUov-Q/s400/IMG_5611.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bag of wasps anyone!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
Using a pair of callipers we then measure their wings to get an indication of sizes of individuals which can be used in analysis later on.</div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0bRSfKrJHQFx0cP9UmnEnz4aAcapyNbHS2t9GRulErJKjpbTeKRJdexMaVwG0NRmPVpO5-T1NG3svvDPbVR0kQIKra-1u4Nxc5NEOkkX_EWzicP89y8tAJOIVg7nC6W5VuJCsaTxGsqg/s1600/IMG_5313.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0bRSfKrJHQFx0cP9UmnEnz4aAcapyNbHS2t9GRulErJKjpbTeKRJdexMaVwG0NRmPVpO5-T1NG3svvDPbVR0kQIKra-1u4Nxc5NEOkkX_EWzicP89y8tAJOIVg7nC6W5VuJCsaTxGsqg/s640/IMG_5313.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sol measuring a wasp</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
All this information gets put into our two very beautiful assistant iPads which Sol and I love dearly! </div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;">
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbrOStGQevvSehftyRE1qqVjXsxQacp_xCd9EaskDVL0hU6OCJmTMDXCfMTCpp7Jnnv7LZVs-ghmgQ9NSZG7_RjqqrP6uaY8SLN0IHwqx6kr8enqd-wOIc0rqS6KpE1yHAMXSUCBDfReA/s1600/IMG_5341.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbrOStGQevvSehftyRE1qqVjXsxQacp_xCd9EaskDVL0hU6OCJmTMDXCfMTCpp7Jnnv7LZVs-ghmgQ9NSZG7_RjqqrP6uaY8SLN0IHwqx6kr8enqd-wOIc0rqS6KpE1yHAMXSUCBDfReA/s400/IMG_5341.jpg" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px;">This is 21st Century Science!!</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
As I many have mentioned to many of your before our wasps live in old abandoned buildings and one sight we use is called "the antenna". This was once the headquarters of a American Military Communication facility that investigated drug trafficing and used by spy's in South America (all very secretive) it was such a secure unit that it is not even listen on any maps! </div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFxLEvjipUyUzWsaH9b78mXdzybns_R8RVYrVRqK0JsmS11lI5npVzRweFNGobOM70vO9aJUqkuojxmsd2tjTXwmT46YZC4WmlJssUXlYV-XnKAs8O3dtZe9LrFsI7msMQcYv8EBkmWCo/s1600/IMG_5398.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFxLEvjipUyUzWsaH9b78mXdzybns_R8RVYrVRqK0JsmS11lI5npVzRweFNGobOM70vO9aJUqkuojxmsd2tjTXwmT46YZC4WmlJssUXlYV-XnKAs8O3dtZe9LrFsI7msMQcYv8EBkmWCo/s640/IMG_5398.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
Since being abandoned nearly 10years ago it has been gutted by local people for things to sell and created a little heaven for wasps.</div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;">
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKLJEd-32O6jpn0IJGKToL_4I5kKEFHuwjo4Bxaha7Zy8-t-mz7oJwEA5uYfx7VAdNZkZT4-dBuEGUcIYdj06Gfk6W2zUO2GIJXgoUq-oAbTf-t2ebuIVMYnRWsVBc80O4fKGB8ge8oBk/s1600/IMG_5492.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKLJEd-32O6jpn0IJGKToL_4I5kKEFHuwjo4Bxaha7Zy8-t-mz7oJwEA5uYfx7VAdNZkZT4-dBuEGUcIYdj06Gfk6W2zUO2GIJXgoUq-oAbTf-t2ebuIVMYnRWsVBc80O4fKGB8ge8oBk/s400/IMG_5492.jpg" width="266" /></a></div>
<br />
<br /></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
After finishing our marking census we then get all the other jobs done during the day this can be anything from filming the nests, standing up a ladder and conducting behaviroual observations, chopping heads off and mapping the brood (more info on all of these to come in later post).</div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;">
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1pjZ6td-q_XzNDxUZIdU3OIyAMEBql12gHa_qnCbAjQVgBQ9H2Z1b4BJQbEL7jxIXt0bCvFCkisg6DT_GyPBHDEiHVRGgF3sgGPMVyDH31rjUHBIxb8V3CzSgHN7KemRYOJYY5kQ15D0/s1600/IMG_5552.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1pjZ6td-q_XzNDxUZIdU3OIyAMEBql12gHa_qnCbAjQVgBQ9H2Z1b4BJQbEL7jxIXt0bCvFCkisg6DT_GyPBHDEiHVRGgF3sgGPMVyDH31rjUHBIxb8V3CzSgHN7KemRYOJYY5kQ15D0/s640/IMG_5552.jpg" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Another one of me with the iPads</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
And thats it, Sounds easy huh! We you think that when you write it down but in reality they are very long, hot and sweaty days! Have you every had to wear a pair of washing up gloves all day in 36degree heat? We do and I have to tell you the state and smell of your hands after that is really rather unpleasant!</div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
Days without stings 55……. not sure how much longer my luck will last!<br />
<br />
A thank you must go to Sol's friend Tatiana for coming to the field with us for one day and taking all these great snaps of us working.</div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;">
<br /></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07582631687301170907noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1143080891955701372.post-17193446028103261112012-05-13T05:35:00.002+01:002012-05-13T06:08:11.978+01:00Eaten Alive<br />
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
8/5/12</div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
Despite spending a night on what should be a paradise island this came a great cost that was realised a day later. I have been eaten alive by a large variety of insects but mostly sand flies or "chicras" in Spanish.</div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
These horrid insects have cover me and Sol in bites and we now seem to spend a large majority of any free time we have scratching!!!</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbt2AomNH5ioT8ZC7dV4aB85gWQQWVK4hSrEWMonUaJCf2h91UE6IXmHQucFIMy7md3I0vplii5S58km8GvXMbI1JTJ6EJfFf-U3dRrfneFl_Ln-g_vGtCrc5F8YfJ971YQDjlLIrD8mg/s1600/IMG_5433.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbt2AomNH5ioT8ZC7dV4aB85gWQQWVK4hSrEWMonUaJCf2h91UE6IXmHQucFIMy7md3I0vplii5S58km8GvXMbI1JTJ6EJfFf-U3dRrfneFl_Ln-g_vGtCrc5F8YfJ971YQDjlLIrD8mg/s320/IMG_5433.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;">I have never had so many bites in my life and this is just one arm and one leg!</span></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIod7FVnLD6_S_hkU7fFauzjHVLJKu3oTGTqp_zg8tiiczZVN4wAIb8yY4WPLe4mK-5UF7mM-vTsdFL9lkNLU2ASbg4KNaEygGkwJWZhb1gOTvt_c6qAFlImgJogWPw1bIVkbnoF7em0I/s1600/IMG_5435.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIod7FVnLD6_S_hkU7fFauzjHVLJKu3oTGTqp_zg8tiiczZVN4wAIb8yY4WPLe4mK-5UF7mM-vTsdFL9lkNLU2ASbg4KNaEygGkwJWZhb1gOTvt_c6qAFlImgJogWPw1bIVkbnoF7em0I/s320/IMG_5435.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
On a lighter note here are a couple of nice pictures of canadensis</div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfwPM8GRPFi31yJKSE_K24BEP0kFBQHYcDHetswEa-SR3KH9hNKfesDlsPIoedDz08ijKcLmz4C1FwzzrDx5PleGHsqSKhP2RyXr8Dx98j9EciPNIRVpS2I1iXgvDqqgyPo2SrLzNuO90/s1600/IMG_5449.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfwPM8GRPFi31yJKSE_K24BEP0kFBQHYcDHetswEa-SR3KH9hNKfesDlsPIoedDz08ijKcLmz4C1FwzzrDx5PleGHsqSKhP2RyXr8Dx98j9EciPNIRVpS2I1iXgvDqqgyPo2SrLzNuO90/s400/IMG_5449.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;">Here are some newly emerged babies - you can tell from their black eyes. As they are so young we cannot tag them with a number and instead give them some paint spots until they are big enough!</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2QtC17Idn-2RLQo5mlrRWfuibMTKOPO7l9DdT0U5qgD-MpauDAhgbNJinR1mZsxSx6M_rvhlpv3YLpjXUESwt_ob3Lu2Mj4Zsloys6o1olMqaGJLWogIxhF62KHkdLytYwUzPU0w8-Ek/s1600/IMG_5437.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2QtC17Idn-2RLQo5mlrRWfuibMTKOPO7l9DdT0U5qgD-MpauDAhgbNJinR1mZsxSx6M_rvhlpv3YLpjXUESwt_ob3Lu2Mj4Zsloys6o1olMqaGJLWogIxhF62KHkdLytYwUzPU0w8-Ek/s400/IMG_5437.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<br /></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07582631687301170907noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1143080891955701372.post-82931907085993879042012-05-13T05:21:00.000+01:002012-05-13T05:21:09.149+01:00A Weekend in San Blas<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
6/5/12</div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
We have not had the best of starts to our fieldwork and due to an unfortunate series of events its been a tough few weeks.</div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
As it was also Tibo's last weekend in Panama and a good "cheer me up" for the rest of us we had a well deserved weekend off work and went to do a little exploring of Panama.</div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
So extremely early on Saturday morning Solenn, Tibo, Roberto (Sol's flatmate) and I headed off to the Comarca de Kuna Yala.</div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
This area of the country is home of the native Kuna people. They are a very traditional and indigenous group who live in the Archipielagos de San Blas. They are believed to have lived in this area of Panama for nearly 200 years. They are have a lot of respect for nature and rely on the rich sea food of the Caribbean (even their traditional currency is coconuts!)</div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
If you want to image the Archipielagos close your eyes and envisage hundreds of palm cover islands floating peacefully in the beautiful Caribbean or alternatively look at this picture.</div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRtMvt3M2X1v4j2phQmWQ0QdFCQaVCeGzfOgbYIMuWMnVjRj8beCq9QKoca61XztwA50CsGxOY4G9MIDw07O1J63tDLl0VQuf9dBXazZqQ1niV5t2Z3nAwu-YbyNsAcd2mhimMcEN0NA8/s1600/IMG_5404.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRtMvt3M2X1v4j2phQmWQ0QdFCQaVCeGzfOgbYIMuWMnVjRj8beCq9QKoca61XztwA50CsGxOY4G9MIDw07O1J63tDLl0VQuf9dBXazZqQ1niV5t2Z3nAwu-YbyNsAcd2mhimMcEN0NA8/s400/IMG_5404.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
In theory you could spend the whole year simply sailing from one island to another as there are over 360 to choose from. We decided to stay on Robinson Island for the evening. In total 4 families live on this island and they have a number of tourists who can stay with them every day. The Kuna are not under control of the Panamanian government and instead the each island a number of chiefs.</div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
We also went on a boat tour of some neighbouring islands and got to dome some snorkelling over the reefs that surround the islands.</div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxOmPqzwk8eBVFE2a8MfFNNDxTf4UnGFl3gQJJqP1Pth2d6jQfpHk4LeES5HLUX9D_Z3dm04ng0vLS6hQe3LYhZvMUQBGDCtaOInCYqTpfd_ccH9IRx1vXA2L95icUm8-zyIiFo8o_iPY/s1600/IMG_5405.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxOmPqzwk8eBVFE2a8MfFNNDxTf4UnGFl3gQJJqP1Pth2d6jQfpHk4LeES5HLUX9D_Z3dm04ng0vLS6hQe3LYhZvMUQBGDCtaOInCYqTpfd_ccH9IRx1vXA2L95icUm8-zyIiFo8o_iPY/s320/IMG_5405.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<br />
<br /></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
Here are some more beautiful photos of our weekend.<br />
<br /></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOzQ22h70kHEJ4FA12zQGKxFQxpGJJ2GpIuzVLeF583P-9R8ZZ7E5EWhOLfB79bx39_1aWTnFmXR2aXFEfgxy9UiympY_UOyPd2ip8pnkF-9sZ79uUiz4df61Ea9HObmtxC52UxbEhaZU/s1600/IMG_5406.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOzQ22h70kHEJ4FA12zQGKxFQxpGJJ2GpIuzVLeF583P-9R8ZZ7E5EWhOLfB79bx39_1aWTnFmXR2aXFEfgxy9UiympY_UOyPd2ip8pnkF-9sZ79uUiz4df61Ea9HObmtxC52UxbEhaZU/s400/IMG_5406.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv-wXE09pGcsRwezM8GIGrtzbUwFcXyzmGzzctsU3VTh9qGzo6sgfoD0CankKkHOol52GOSa9zVhGI_9LVr6a3nSqZgCuXCMs1h1OGthVuuqI0iwJKj28NQOPkIUY-wrkjPiEC7tMYf88/s1600/IMG_5410.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv-wXE09pGcsRwezM8GIGrtzbUwFcXyzmGzzctsU3VTh9qGzo6sgfoD0CankKkHOol52GOSa9zVhGI_9LVr6a3nSqZgCuXCMs1h1OGthVuuqI0iwJKj28NQOPkIUY-wrkjPiEC7tMYf88/s400/IMG_5410.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px;"><br /></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px;"><br /></span></span><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRIDw1XcGihnPsd9Xrm3aVF33FLmN8lq69H_krLhaj3tD9laQk0XW2Ebz2TeEsVizk2JFfyhzeNycMQHESV6JOXeKKXBr1HadcNL4f3yqiuQIlxEM07Ow6l3rLfs_a3K4VEq6_529pu7U/s1600/IMG_5418.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRIDw1XcGihnPsd9Xrm3aVF33FLmN8lq69H_krLhaj3tD9laQk0XW2Ebz2TeEsVizk2JFfyhzeNycMQHESV6JOXeKKXBr1HadcNL4f3yqiuQIlxEM07Ow6l3rLfs_a3K4VEq6_529pu7U/s320/IMG_5418.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Our accommodation for the evening on Robinson Island</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXyEfJHvW862YYoi-o2TM6WN86L74n1kbhI1h32NTO1mLmhEGEkVEzH7S6iXoKvJzP4CMpPNr5At7Ecs5gjnYtVeJvLLeRJUn6TI7XoHd8rNyrwm_l0VggPCyQbuW_WwIMu0kE-72QHDg/s1600/IMG_5411.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXyEfJHvW862YYoi-o2TM6WN86L74n1kbhI1h32NTO1mLmhEGEkVEzH7S6iXoKvJzP4CMpPNr5At7Ecs5gjnYtVeJvLLeRJUn6TI7XoHd8rNyrwm_l0VggPCyQbuW_WwIMu0kE-72QHDg/s320/IMG_5411.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Me enjoying the beautiful Caribbean Sea</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgieQXUp5Q8bXgblCPfi-DaBBOtDCVXZ2EVGpw-Lf0vhS4NbGTRKuRmj_2wqtXllS_QGBwEATccBB9B2ionPt5x99_Mqbn-vCJgOVdYVfxbVeqT8SrXqPYSeHGpeUgGXpJo9g4S__7tAng/s1600/IMG_5413.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgieQXUp5Q8bXgblCPfi-DaBBOtDCVXZ2EVGpw-Lf0vhS4NbGTRKuRmj_2wqtXllS_QGBwEATccBB9B2ionPt5x99_Mqbn-vCJgOVdYVfxbVeqT8SrXqPYSeHGpeUgGXpJo9g4S__7tAng/s320/IMG_5413.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">A traditional dug out Kuna boat</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<br /></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07582631687301170907noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1143080891955701372.post-21680622378695953502012-05-05T02:37:00.001+01:002012-05-05T02:37:08.342+01:00Polistes canadensis<br />
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
4/5/12</div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
So far this blog has been entirely made up of info about <i>Polistes dominulus</i>, now I want to introduce you all to the main wasp I am studying for my PhD.</div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
This is <i>Polistes canadesis</i> </div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid7nWG5qT_EhNK73iZukuK4UYPSdD3fdF_vxyE_51thKoyLCUGB773VDBdvchV_KWwqPK1T1J-4BpZ6va2gdILxJi6iS2vubn7G24L-NZuXwL-2d4WAK4pKo8BRxKkWwFdc3vHxbCKqMA/s1600/IMG_5373.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid7nWG5qT_EhNK73iZukuK4UYPSdD3fdF_vxyE_51thKoyLCUGB773VDBdvchV_KWwqPK1T1J-4BpZ6va2gdILxJi6iS2vubn7G24L-NZuXwL-2d4WAK4pKo8BRxKkWwFdc3vHxbCKqMA/s320/IMG_5373.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
They are a pest here in Panama and people don't really like them as they tend to nest in old abandoned buildings and when they do so their are lots of them. As Panama is progressing economically many of these buildings are being knocked down now, some old sites my lab used here in Panama are now completely unusable. </div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
As you an tell they are a lot bigger than <i>dominulus</i> and definitely more vicious, bee hats and shirts needed at all times - not so good for working on the tan!</div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
From my first impressions they are a little harder to work with than <i>dominulus</i> mainly cos they nest high up (here you can see Sol up a ladder, and Tibo in the jungle)</div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIj6kq125NpBaFe6zsnyEOM4uVTl_E00-Lz3Ca_iaEegdEXSmHQCqxDAPlnpopmyvHZ5ikmSX-7oQqJkYopegKpwhgnVoTfM6ESZY_WxLkt90FDBOsg41kJIL4no8kVOPr4iuFk669FGs/s1600/IMG_5389.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIj6kq125NpBaFe6zsnyEOM4uVTl_E00-Lz3Ca_iaEegdEXSmHQCqxDAPlnpopmyvHZ5ikmSX-7oQqJkYopegKpwhgnVoTfM6ESZY_WxLkt90FDBOsg41kJIL4no8kVOPr4iuFk669FGs/s320/IMG_5389.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRVEIgj44_mj2MYiex1KUBQc6IsHLxu-sDuiRvJ4GF0Ppc22ZzMNoDxQRnMpG9RUcnA-A5J4kBBc1-R9lc6EM6VbnntpSNnjtCAZsBuRZJGUHu0khN4lhY40RXB4F1pOebKKCQ0RFsr0w/s1600/IMG_5377.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRVEIgj44_mj2MYiex1KUBQc6IsHLxu-sDuiRvJ4GF0Ppc22ZzMNoDxQRnMpG9RUcnA-A5J4kBBc1-R9lc6EM6VbnntpSNnjtCAZsBuRZJGUHu0khN4lhY40RXB4F1pOebKKCQ0RFsr0w/s320/IMG_5377.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
But on their plus sides they are also pretty good fun to work with and being so active its great to watch their behaviour - plus they look very cute with their little number tags! </div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja07CcKyu6v3XmJBJ1v3oy0G1u1r6W4uFQTf304nSu57eb-GDZhVOq9LAssbGro-Q4uhPWu1jRagd0RymlzVlTVhLby-9Yonav4avh9r4mnQTo4Q2tifmo0YIkLmtXa6YX_dSR4-7S7HA/s1600/IMG_5375.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="279" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja07CcKyu6v3XmJBJ1v3oy0G1u1r6W4uFQTf304nSu57eb-GDZhVOq9LAssbGro-Q4uhPWu1jRagd0RymlzVlTVhLby-9Yonav4avh9r4mnQTo4Q2tifmo0YIkLmtXa6YX_dSR4-7S7HA/s320/IMG_5375.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
Its also great to be working in a tropical country (despite the heat and lots of clothes needing to be worn & bitting stinging insects) there are loads of other interesting critters around, here is a random selection of photos - again if you budding nature lovers out there know what the species is I would love to know!</div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUUkL1h2i87KZKwV9D6pJOu48gDzd_rKgK2xD_S7QL-X-ilN9Nn4PsKVhhlb97dFyTUEEQmN6pD0cvEFEs8Q6Kv-JvM3UuNz7Tm2MRpKQR1Aq1eiwK4UbXN46he8hOz0eNp8aSK4P11-Y/s1600/IMG_5370.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUUkL1h2i87KZKwV9D6pJOu48gDzd_rKgK2xD_S7QL-X-ilN9Nn4PsKVhhlb97dFyTUEEQmN6pD0cvEFEs8Q6Kv-JvM3UuNz7Tm2MRpKQR1Aq1eiwK4UbXN46he8hOz0eNp8aSK4P11-Y/s320/IMG_5370.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX3dc9D2ecQmobhyphenhyphenoU1YYgKq4EUxfr_cz5mL-zBmGI145d7NHKvN_ydPafyIkK7a_mgTlw1OLlf4thkcSZv5bmgbNhRp5OXOLb9euboA1PAmob-Xo-rmr7mIPNPsj5hJ8ePB-KgJx_Owg/s1600/photo-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX3dc9D2ecQmobhyphenhyphenoU1YYgKq4EUxfr_cz5mL-zBmGI145d7NHKvN_ydPafyIkK7a_mgTlw1OLlf4thkcSZv5bmgbNhRp5OXOLb9euboA1PAmob-Xo-rmr7mIPNPsj5hJ8ePB-KgJx_Owg/s320/photo-2.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKN5jewvwnDl8PQtRF7YEwQbIyx5rmmEm2j-yYi_mr3fdUZJqHjF6nVvoZUpcVSRZ7QNdnrgUzlaBmZ75bjch1XcbuLQmedBXXfQOLa0s1CEFlIPTNxoCD2A0ZItz09gBviW69ZKMuxjM/s1600/IMG_5398.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKN5jewvwnDl8PQtRF7YEwQbIyx5rmmEm2j-yYi_mr3fdUZJqHjF6nVvoZUpcVSRZ7QNdnrgUzlaBmZ75bjch1XcbuLQmedBXXfQOLa0s1CEFlIPTNxoCD2A0ZItz09gBviW69ZKMuxjM/s320/IMG_5398.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
Days without stings - 35! (so far I am the last man standing as everyone else has been stung at least or in some cases twice - Tibo!!!)</div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;">
<br /></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07582631687301170907noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1143080891955701372.post-10678217289948785462012-05-05T01:55:00.000+01:002012-05-05T02:39:48.999+01:00Galeta - My New Office!<br />
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
2/5/12</div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
I have been in Panama for almost a week now and have hardly put out any posts, my apologies things have been a little hectic to say the least!</div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
However now I have a free evening to write to you all and most importantly share some pictures.</div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
Whilst here we are working with the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute (STRI) and is one of the leading research institutions of tropical biodiversity with people studying all walks of biological life from fish to trees and most importantly of course wasps!</div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMp7uf05S6BGUHAYysY7BtLmWnQ8f7tjVjo6o7HL0ic1iT26stIQG86QfPMyFlV52_UcI2QjWK7544lXMdYbjxYXvEg-PhVCi6zpsMK5c3uqCN0HoLZ9IUzy97vZEl0LMPAe52nMHrsLs/s1600/photo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMp7uf05S6BGUHAYysY7BtLmWnQ8f7tjVjo6o7HL0ic1iT26stIQG86QfPMyFlV52_UcI2QjWK7544lXMdYbjxYXvEg-PhVCi6zpsMK5c3uqCN0HoLZ9IUzy97vZEl0LMPAe52nMHrsLs/s320/photo.jpg" width="240" /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: small;"></span></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNXVv8aZtA1IcsiC_AsBgOdsezF7Q1tzVqtss0tEHBx8r7CfDpH7b4RfY_YUzqbU-U_Frt2rpTDTLtlQuH159tD-6cIdYpeaDdHOpGnfBk4a00oLpoZ5nzasrevvGxvJdNLw3qKHdVGOA/s1600/photo-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNXVv8aZtA1IcsiC_AsBgOdsezF7Q1tzVqtss0tEHBx8r7CfDpH7b4RfY_YUzqbU-U_Frt2rpTDTLtlQuH159tD-6cIdYpeaDdHOpGnfBk4a00oLpoZ5nzasrevvGxvJdNLw3qKHdVGOA/s320/photo-1.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<br />
They have a numbers of field stations throughout the county but we are based at one called Galeta. It is primarily a Marine Laboratory found on the Carribbean Coast (tough I know but some one has to work here!)</div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
This peninsular was a once a key plea for defending the Carribbean entrance to the infamous Panama Canal in Colon Province with many abandoned ex-military bases dotted around.</div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
It became a field laboratory in the 1960s and recently it also became a great location for environmental and conservation education with many groups of visits and school visiting to learn about the area - they are often very intrigued by what we are dong with wasps.</div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
This a friend I have made at the field station!</div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP-3r7sevooLorI4LwnWzZB5BLAXXLC7YwPfNDspiqWEIyyy3H7UZjOA708ZMw9LsxBiinBm7ZjoDCBr9zDe2jBIjARhDE3tY4Xisdgo1BCsQKZZa62dxGqW09whp964q53Tx0PyHKgiw/s1600/IMG_5369.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP-3r7sevooLorI4LwnWzZB5BLAXXLC7YwPfNDspiqWEIyyy3H7UZjOA708ZMw9LsxBiinBm7ZjoDCBr9zDe2jBIjARhDE3tY4Xisdgo1BCsQKZZa62dxGqW09whp964q53Tx0PyHKgiw/s320/IMG_5369.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
Although it may look beautiful the Carribbean postcard picture is not always true the and today we were provided with a proper tropical storm with torrential rain</div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhfv12j_x7KafAZ58ZciJaeNFjr-E_pFKyxANqQMM7Eb2ofUbGznNLIoNcNiNyQeBll3A-WBQw4CpZcmnt6Tx7rfeh3QabcKcWgp-ijxVsFyrhHrxqM5EQ5psW2Q-Q1at9C1XUuwhndK4/s1600/IMG_5397.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhfv12j_x7KafAZ58ZciJaeNFjr-E_pFKyxANqQMM7Eb2ofUbGznNLIoNcNiNyQeBll3A-WBQw4CpZcmnt6Tx7rfeh3QabcKcWgp-ijxVsFyrhHrxqM5EQ5psW2Q-Q1at9C1XUuwhndK4/s320/IMG_5397.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwgZKha1jK9Ou4zklEZQM6OnUi7V_alMHawtjGQ7EV2QCQhovAN6LzWp_lNUUs8BFTf-gi8i6rkGUCGE7fXU2FeAi54sFZTYe34MXka0dK69yx2oO5oufrzr3ABR5eny7GuAtjJjXLnJ8/s1600/IMG_5394.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwgZKha1jK9Ou4zklEZQM6OnUi7V_alMHawtjGQ7EV2QCQhovAN6LzWp_lNUUs8BFTf-gi8i6rkGUCGE7fXU2FeAi54sFZTYe34MXka0dK69yx2oO5oufrzr3ABR5eny7GuAtjJjXLnJ8/s320/IMG_5394.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
Nevertheless at least some days are finished off with beautiful sunsets!</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmxz5aFTwbCj90ILUF0llgGR7He3Nu8OJ3cKri71bhdpbUcpA2LGXMRutzq2knr9W1ZZtHoYc82lCGJYpUErVn7kA0QpBhtrjgdvtURPgW1X7O3nqH6vfFdAb8ivFXg-welXF2EmQgWas/s1600/IMG_5392.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmxz5aFTwbCj90ILUF0llgGR7He3Nu8OJ3cKri71bhdpbUcpA2LGXMRutzq2knr9W1ZZtHoYc82lCGJYpUErVn7kA0QpBhtrjgdvtURPgW1X7O3nqH6vfFdAb8ivFXg-welXF2EmQgWas/s320/IMG_5392.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div>
<br /></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07582631687301170907noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1143080891955701372.post-70274260051735704632012-05-01T01:42:00.003+01:002012-05-01T01:42:50.277+01:00Birthday Wishes<br />
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
1/5/12</div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
Today is my Mum's Birthday and today this post is dedicated solely to her.</div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
Although I did have time to get her a pressi before I left I did not have time to get a card sorted so this is my Blog Card instead!</div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
!HAPPY BIRTHDAY MUM!</div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVwZHfSOqkZtjukCO80RcPpZJNShi8pm6FCAKpnyzcGZheZnfFr46sE-oZ93DyKAF_aMJ1LSxv70QJHJ6rEsSP7cVAwHkblsxRPYSF7Kj1XXguJYgfYd87a6I4QWn03PmhIUwRhvb0OGc/s1600/IMG_5378.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVwZHfSOqkZtjukCO80RcPpZJNShi8pm6FCAKpnyzcGZheZnfFr46sE-oZ93DyKAF_aMJ1LSxv70QJHJ6rEsSP7cVAwHkblsxRPYSF7Kj1XXguJYgfYd87a6I4QWn03PmhIUwRhvb0OGc/s320/IMG_5378.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
Hope you have a wonderful day and that everyone spoils you rotten and treats you to lots of lovely things!</div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
Love you lots</div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
xxxxx</div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;">
<br /></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07582631687301170907noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1143080891955701372.post-53838797513643224122012-04-29T03:16:00.003+01:002012-04-29T03:16:48.577+01:00A Zoologist Abroad Once Again<br />
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
28/4/12</div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
Hello again all.</div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
Sorry for my temporary absence but for the last week I have been back in the UK and hence no longer a "zoologist abroad". </div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
We now have some lovely <i>P.dominulus </i>in there new home in London, Ian Warren has been wonderful in looking after them and they are looking happy in their new abodes (they even have their own personally cactus in each of their cages lucky wasp!)</div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
But as I send you all these post I have just spent the majority of my day on a plane travelling to Panama, won't bore you all with any details of that as it was reality uneventful, bit of sleeping, some crosswords, some work and even got to finally watch the Muppet Movie! </div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
Must go no pretty exhausted after a long journey and the jet lag is kicking in but just wanted to let you all know that Lawrence, Remmi and I have all arrived safely and will keep you posted on all our adventures soon!</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07582631687301170907noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1143080891955701372.post-67158054354596726282012-04-18T19:02:00.000+01:002012-04-18T19:02:11.063+01:00Off with Her Head<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><br />
</div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;">17/4/12</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><br />
</div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">"Off with her head" the Red Queen famously said to Alice and numerous unsuspecting playing cards in Lewis Carroll's fantastic book "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland".</div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ6r2uRqqGvZITecWyG20dr4wjlrEngRwBf8PMYYiJFYyspObycfPkOxYNW80pe6Ts2jRZ55AvfkywUEd_v57zVJYDWTNqsr6uR6Xj-6L3fSc1kCRJ-lEee6m8Vmw4AlMcp2H75YxdkA8/s1600/29off_with_her_head.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ6r2uRqqGvZITecWyG20dr4wjlrEngRwBf8PMYYiJFYyspObycfPkOxYNW80pe6Ts2jRZ55AvfkywUEd_v57zVJYDWTNqsr6uR6Xj-6L3fSc1kCRJ-lEee6m8Vmw4AlMcp2H75YxdkA8/s320/29off_with_her_head.jpg" width="267" /></a></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><br />
</div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><br />
</div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><br />
</div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">In this part of the book Alice has just left the Mad Hatter and March Hare to their tea party and comes across some paying cards forming hoops for the Red Queens game of Croquet. Naturally played with hedgehogs and flamingoes - how else does one play Croquet! As normal the Cheshire cat turns up causes trouble and the game descends into chaos - as it does so the Red Queen loses her temper and hence that famous phrase came into being. Alice's adventures are know all over the world and today also have greater meaning in Spain with my experiment!</div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><br />
</div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">We have finally managed to start manipulations on nests. After determining the dominant individuals through lots of censusing we then manipulating nest to being loan foundresses (i.e. one was to a nest). We are doing this to investigate whether we can force dominant individuals into foraging and carrying out worker like activity. Through doing this we hope to see if individuals are committed to their "castes" in a colony. </div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><br />
</div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">However in order to do this is means that for some individuals "off with their heads" it must be. We are collecting genetic samples so that in the further we can look at gene expression associated with both dominant and subordinate positions. For this gene expression data we need brain tissue and hence many of our wasps have been subjected to the fait you can see below.</div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiPQG5mAMUhVImgHaKMAwkSGqoVauKqSi5FbzzRO8hOT0sVTjsKzwcw7XngWF5nex5sOPS8vwFsvsB-MrohW92lFcrIGhvCNBZks1oEmE-0Ze0eBu4peB15U0UD95NhnZZ9RYjnlFZK6Q/s1600/IMG_5345.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiPQG5mAMUhVImgHaKMAwkSGqoVauKqSi5FbzzRO8hOT0sVTjsKzwcw7XngWF5nex5sOPS8vwFsvsB-MrohW92lFcrIGhvCNBZks1oEmE-0Ze0eBu4peB15U0UD95NhnZZ9RYjnlFZK6Q/s320/IMG_5345.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><br />
</div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><br />
</div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><br />
</div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">Poor wasps must admit I feel rather guilty - but I guess it is what must be done in the name of science!</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07582631687301170907noreply@blogger.com0