The collecting begins.

Over the past couple of days, we have been out to various sites collecting samples. We’re targeting groups that graduate students are focusing on, including molluscs (Paola), crustaceans (Nick), and wasps (Joao), as well as some for undergraduate studies including flies (Paula) and “EPTs” — Ephemeroptera (mayflies), Plecoptera (stone flies), and Trichoptera (caddisflies) (Kelly). We are also collecting annelids, various insects, and spiders. For the first time, we are working on plants as well. In addition to Paola, Nick, and Joao, we have Brandon joining us for this trip. He formerly worked on moths for his undergraduate project and is now taking a break from his graduate program to help us out.

The region around Churchill has a diversity of habitats to investigate, including tundra, boreal forest, freshwater lakes, ponds, streams, intertidal, and marine.

The range of environments means lots of diverse species to study, but none as abundant as the mosquitoes, which have arisen in droves now that the weather has warmed.

The students have also arrived for the field course. They liked the ice. They did not like all the mosquitoes.

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Click here for the Churchill fieldwork posts.