Entoblitz 2013 Is April 19-21 at Lake J.B. Thomas!
This year’s Entoblitz will be held on April 19-21 at Lake J.B. Thomas in Scurry County. Lake J.B. Thomas is a man-made reservoir located in the Southwestern tablelands ecoregion of west Texas. The lake currently has a very low water level due to the ongoing drought, but there is still surface water. For more information see the TPWD site here.
The reservoir is managed by the Colorado River Municipal Water District (CRMWD). See their site .
All people interested in attending should RSVP by emailing Paul Lenhart (palenhart@tamu.edu) with their name and the names of anyone joining them as well as what insect groups they are interested in.
Who can go:
Entoblitz is open to anyone interested in insect collecting, or spending a weekend with insect collectors. This includes professional entomologists, insect hobbyists, friends and family.
All Texas A&M students attending need to fill out the following two forms:
1) Waiver and Release Form (each person attending)
2)Travel Information Form** (each person driving but listing all passengers)
Please turn in forms to Paul Lenhart in his Minnie Bell Heep mailroom box or his office in the Biological Control Facility rm 122A at least one week before the event.
Permits:
There is a $5 day use permit per vehicle for anyone joining us at the site.
There are no special permits necessary for collecting. We have obtained permission from the reservoir superintendent to collect. For rules and regulations of the reservoir, go to http://www.crmwd.org/Rules.pdf.
When collecting be careful not to cross onto private land.
Transportation:
Lake J.B. Thomas is approximately a 6-hour drive from College Station, TX. Directions Please arrange your own transportation. Carpooling and dividing the cost of gas is strongly suggested. If you do not know other people that are going, send an email to one of our coordinators and we can try to find you a vehicle.
Lodging and facilities:
There is a large campground on the southern end of the dam where we are staying. The CRMWD does not take reservations, however, they have stated there would be more than enough room for our group, which usually numbers between 10-30 people. There are numerous picnic shelters by the road, which loops through the campground, as well as closer to the lakeshore. There is also a pavilion we are considering reserving. There are bathrooms and potable water available at the campground.
Food:
Please bring your own food. On Saturday evening we would like that everyone eats dinner together to meet, mingle, and swap bug stories.
Insect collecting and supplies:
Everyone is free to collect insects as they please. We may organize some ad hoc group hikes or outings (e.g. different parts of the lake bed or the caprock of the Llano Estacado to the west). Please bring your own collecting equipment. Several people usually bring UV and mercury vapor lamps for nighttime insect collecting and are amenable to people collecting at their lights. Remember to be courteous and ask permission.