Slabtown

waning crescent moon
Had a week in Slabtown reacquainting with the sun moon stars night and Ixodidae.
bicycle trees
If I stayed on the bike the ticks wouldn’t be a problem, but I am on the ground a fair amount. Removed 4 attached Ixodes scapularis and
Amblyomma americanum individuals.

Questing!
The lone star tick is widely distributed across the East, Southeast, and Midwest United States. It lives in wooded areas, particularly in second-growth forests with thick underbrush, where white-tailed deer (the primary host of mature ticks) reside. Lone star ticks can also be found in ecotonal areas (transition zones between different biomes) such as those between forest and grassland ecosystems. The lone star tick uses thick underbrush or high grass to attach to its host by way of questing. Questing is an activity in which the tick climbs up a blade of grass or to the edges of leaves and stretches its front legs forward, in response to stimuli from biochemicals such as carbon dioxide or heat and vibration from movement, and mounts the passing host as it brushes against the tick’s legs. Once attached to its host, the tick is able to move around and select a preferred feeding site.–Wikipedia

walk in the woods notophthalmus viridescens

two dogs in the back seat of a Prius
Tilly is all about walking it down slow, saving energy, not breaking a sweat, securing the chow. Eva is Thunderpaws, ten strides to every step Matilda takes. Eva runs the high road, the low road and encircles the enemy, simultaneously. The dogs have opposite approaches but remain best friends.
red eft crosses the road
While Tilly was focused on food and Eva ran overwatch a red eft crossed our path unmolested.