Biology Trip 9-2-2006

 We arrived at the silo to find it was not locked. The lock was on
the concrete step in good shape just not locked on the door. Andy,
Bill, Lawrence & Shawn were in cave and starting our count at 9:45
AM. Pam decided to stay on top with her dog. It was eaten alive by
baby ticks.
10:10 - 10:35 T. Falls - Natural bridge upstream
7 - Small Fish
2 - Bats flying
10:53 First showerhead
12 - Small fish
1 - Large fish
1 - Grotto salamander
11:25 UL1
13 - Small fish
3 - Large fish
12:20 UL2
35 - Small fish
4 - Large fish
1 - Grotto salamander
12:50 Black rock falls
15 - Small fish
7 - Large fish
1 - Planarian (Flat worm) Top of falls
16 - Isopods Top of falls
1:40 End of upstream count. Blue BIO marker at Roundroom.
12 - Small fish
7 - Large fish
2 - Bats flying

------------ --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- -

2:45 - 3:45 UL2 BIO count
6 - Small fish
24 - -Large fish
1 - Bat, Northern long eared
1 - Grotto salamander

------------ --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- -
Totals Combined
Fish - Small - 100
Large - 41
= 141
Grotto salamanders - Adults - 2
young - 1
Planarian - 1
Bats - 1 - Northern long eared
2 - Dead UKN East of ladder 30ft.
4 - Flying UKN
Beetles - Ptomaphagus Adults & Larva - number unknown [did not dissect
dead bats]
Isopods - 16
I was the last one to get to camp. That was 7:30 AM
Sat. morning. We were all there and ready to go in good time. I woke
Lawrence at 8:20. He took it really well. We ate drank our coffee
and headed up the hill by 9 o-clock. This is when Pam decided not to
cave with us. Her dog got into some seed ticks and was in a bad
way. The rest of us were in cave and going by 9:45.
The first thing we found were 2 dead bats with Ptomaphagus
beetles and larva on them about 30ft. east of the ladder. We counted
from thunder falls to the round room then UL2 to convention hall. I
have already went through the when what where etc. so I won’t get
into that again.
Something of interest. We found some mud writing (Nov-10-56 far
as we got). This has had flooding over it but it is still very
readable after 50 years. Please be careful of this. it is just
upstream of flat rock falls on the right bank. Is there any earlier
dates recorded this far into the cave? I would like to know about it
if there is. I can't imagine what a trip like that would have been
like in 1956. Hard very HARD
At 5:40 we were our of Carroll. our count took us 8hr. Thank you
to Bill, Shawn, Lawrence and Pam for your support. It wouldn't have
happened without YOU.
On Sunday Bill, Shawn and I went to another cave. Geronimo
Springs cave It's a sporty cave . Had a good Labor day weekend
sometimes it just works out
Andy Isbell