AKA: Night of the living tityus
AKA: Strategus plasticus
As on numerous other occasions, Travis H and I left Sunset for Lecompte with the thrill of the hunt in our veins and beetles on the brain. We had attempted to form a trio for this expedition, but a certain individual, a seasoned veteran who has asked that his name not be published, declined.
We reached the first major gas station, that now has a catchy name: "Pseudo-Sammy's" (thank you Travis), but did not even think to stop. Nor did we stop at the authentic Sammy's. We were in single-minded pursuit of coleopteral riches.
As we ascended the ramp at the Lecompte exit, we decided to first search the new station on the West side of 49. At the very least we figured that any food or drink purchased there would be fresh. There we found a C. scruator, female S. aloeus and a female D. tityus (our first of the night) right off, before even entering the store. We purchased sugar and caffeine in different forms, then headed to the Chevron.
Once there, we found many more Ox beetles, only one male in the whole bunch. Travis found another male reddish-brown stag beetle in about the same spot as the dead male from 6/19. We also found two dead stag females (capreolus and elephas) at the same northeast corner of the building that we had found the dead elephas male a few weeks ago. There were also two, dead female D. tityus, one in the corral. There were some really interesting moths but I can't tell you much about them.
From there we drove to the other station in Lecompte proper, but did not find a single thing there, even with all the lights on. We drove up to the Woodworth station (next exit north of Lecompte) where we found three female D.t. and one male. Also found a female L. capeolus there too. We drove to the other station up the road, but the lights were off. We decided to drive on through to Forest Hill and make a huge square. We stopped and slowed but a few spots there but didn't find anything.
Arriving back at the station we started at for a second look, we found another Ox female then a sight I will remember forever. Out of the car window I spotted a beetle I could not identify. Short and stubby with two-toned elytra. Travis and I had just discovered a new species right there in the parking lot (see photos below). For right now it is being called: Strategus plasticus and we are still working on describing it, but I though you might like a sneek peek. It seems to have perished in the midday sun and was quite stiff (seriously, we did find this in the parking lot).
This was one of, if not the most, successful excursions I have been on. I have never seen as many D.t. in one place (in the container after we collected them, not at one spot).
*Update* I spoke to James this afternoon (6/26/06) who stopped at Lecompte on his way north. He found another D.t. female and S.a. female in the corral. Hope the rest of his trip is successful.
Steven
*An Update to Your Update* I did indeed collect (my first live) D. tityus as well as a minor male S. aloeus at the Chevron on our way north to Tallulah. I also found a few other cool things. I'll make a post later, but *hint**hint* the tail doth rattle....
-James
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