Fieldwork is an integral aspect of research in the Hedin lab - almost everything that we learn is somehow connected to efforts in the field. Below are highlights (or funny lowlights) of some trips we have taken.
Western Dunes - pics of dunefields, and dunelife, taken from a variety of trips taken in the Western US over the past several years. Many of the images come from trips taken with Michael Lowder, collecting jumping spiders on sandy substrates.
Atypoides 2002 - collecting trip in northern CA, searching for Atypoides for Jim Starret's undergraduate project. Steve Lew and Pierre Paquin helping us.
Baja 2002 - trip with Sarah Crews and Pierre Paquin, Springbreak 2002, collecting Homalonychus for Sarah's MS research.
Appalachia - pics from various trips taken over the past several years, most focusing on the collection of either Nesticus or Hypochilus. Bob Dellinger, Fred Coyle, Dustin Wood, Michael Lowder, Pierre Paquin, and the folks at Racoon Valley Caverns (Steve & Cathy in particular) have been most helpful.
Atypoides 2003 - more Atypoides collecting in northern CA for Jim Starret's undergraduate project. Steve Lew and Pierre Paquin still helping us.
Lab Outing 2004 - a trip to Anza Borrego with Hedin lab folks & friends.
Baja 2004 - the primary goal of this trip was to collected naucorids for Maggie Reinbold's MS thesis work. Carlos Flores from UABC Ensenada was helping in this effort. We tagged along with herpetologists from the San Diego Natural History Museum, SDSU, and UABC Ensenada.
Appalachians 2004 - this trip was funded by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. Our goal was to learn more about several species of rare Nesticus found in the mountains of western North Carolina and eastern Tennessee. We were also able to collect new populations of Fumontana deprehendor and Hypochilus pococki. The collecting crew included Steven Thomas, Robin Keith, Jim Starrett & Lars Hedin.
Spring Break 2005 - this trip focused on the collection of Habronattus tarsalis, as part of Steve Foldi's MS research. The collecting crew included Steven Thomas, Robin Keith, Joe Deas, Jose Macias, Steve Foldi, Gwylim Blackburn & Marshal Hedin.
Appalachians 2005 - a trip focusing on laniatorid Opiliones, although we also collected Nesticus, Hypochilus, Liocranoides, Sabacon, and other cool stuff!!! The collecting crew included Steven Thomas, Robin Keith, Jim Starrett, Lars Hedin & Dalton Hedin. We visited with Fred Coyle, Patrick & Helene, and Steve Perlaky.
noCAL 2006 - collecting various cool arachnids in northern California, including laniatorid opiliones, Pimus, and Atypoides, for Steven, Robin, and Jim, respectively. Trip members included Steven Thomas, Robin Keith, Marshal Hedin, Jim Starrett, Shahan Derkarabetian, Maureen McCormack and Dru Marxen. Photos taken by Hedin, Keith, Derkarabetian and McCormack. It rained and snowed, then rained again, but we persevered. Special thanks to Dan Snyder, who took us into a cave, where it was NOT raining!
Sclerobunus 2006 - a July 2006 trip to the "sky island" mountains of Arizona and New Mexico, collecting Sclerobunus robustus (triaenonychid opilionids) for Shahan's thesis research. Trip members included Steven Thomas, Marshal Hedin, Shahan Derkarabetian and Joe Deas, Jr.
Spring Break 2007 - collecting Pimus, Atypoides, Calisoga, and various other wonderful arachnids in northern CA, mostly west of the Great Central Valley. The collecting crew included Steven Thomas, Robin Keith, Jim Starrett, Dean Leavitt & Marshal Hedin - seasoned veterans indeed!
Atypoides December 2007 - a trip focusing on CA mygalomorphs, particularly Atypoides and Calisoga, working north of Sacramento on the Sierran side, and near Clear Lake & Monterey on the coastal side. Many mygals were collected by Jim Starrett, Dean Leavitt & Marshal Hedin - several incredible range extensions!
more to come.....