going to morocco again next easter and determined to look for scorps this time. i did a thread about this last year but cant find it so oh well...
what scorps am i likely to come across out in morocco. and also in spain, and what tarantulas and other bitey things (saw a nice scolopendra sp. last time but didnt know about the bite, luckily it was gone when i came back to grab it!!!).
i will be in all kinds of habitats.
salt plains, dunes, wasteland , dense cacti and other sharp brittle things, snow covered mountains and at one point a forest (full of monkeys!).
so what am i likely to find where?
this time were going as a group of friends, not as a tour like last time (most were a bunch of bankers and london-ers with too much money and no real interest in nature), so i am taking several Blacklights and am taking them scorp hunting!
i have, in preparation for the pissed off LQ's and that sort:
thick boots (with everything tucked in)
tweezers
36" litter picking up thing.
various tubs in different sizes thicknesses (and most things i catch will double or even triple contained, you know container inside a container thing)
Canon 450D DSLR with macro filters (just clip on magnifying glasses but they work) so i can show you guys and get positive ID.
proper torch (3D LED Maglite)
if the protective gear doesnt work and something is still trying to get me i will bring a sample of it back on the bottom of my boot
i plan to catch, photograph and release as much as possible of the wildlife and write up something about them to give to people in the future when we go again. taking a big net for the lizards this time! damn they are fast!!!
i dont want to bring any of those murderous DWA monstrosities back with me and have no wish to do anything illegal so i am curious what the laws are on bringing other things back. i want to keep some of the dung beetles and dune beetle things (they outrun me on a 40 degree (downhill) dune slope with ease.) but dont know the laws on these non dangerous or invasive (basically entirely harmless) critters. if not then what are the laws on bringing dead specimens of certain things i find?
if you read all that and can answer some questions i owe you a bar of chocolate because even i cant be bothered to proof read it all. sorry for spelling mistakes, im sure you can see what i mean most of the time