Anyone else wonder about this?

wynturmute · Post by **wynturmute** » Sat Aug 02, 2008 10:52 am

Whats the critter factor at Burning Man?

Scorpions,tarantulas, giant wasps that eat tarantulas, rattlers?

ygmir · Post by **ygmir** » Sat Aug 02, 2008 10:58 am

I've seen herds of snipe on the perimeters...........

And, I'm hoping to attend the tarantula roundup this year, and, watch the "tarantula vs scorpion" battles.....

tetonshawn · Post by **tetonshawn** » Sat Aug 02, 2008 11:05 am

The playa is fairly lifeless. No critters, no bugs. The only bugs are stowaways that people bring with them.

wynturmute · Post by **wynturmute** » Sat Aug 02, 2008 11:06 am

[quote="ygmir"]I've seen herds of snipe on the perimeters...........

And, I'm hoping to attend the tarantula roundup this year, and, watch the "tarantula vs scorpion" battles.....[/quote]

Are you joking?

mk-ultra · Post by **mk-ultra** » Sat Aug 02, 2008 11:33 am

wynturmute wrote:
ygmir wrote:I've seen herds of snipe on the perimeters...........

And, I'm hoping to attend the tarantula roundup this year, and, watch the "tarantula vs scorpion" battles.....

Are you joking?

He's not kidding. I don't know what attracts all the tarantulas (maybe it's the music?). People setting up camp usually scares them away from the area until day 2 or 3... then they get bold and start sneaking in from the trash fence perimeter after dusk.

Thankfully, the snipes mainly eat tarantulas (and scorpions)... so you shouldn't see more than a dozen or so in your camp site on any given night. Keep your pharmaceuticals suspended overhead in a "bear bag" -- the spiders always seem to go for the good stuff... and they're pretty annoying if they get all "touchy feely."

wynturmute · Post by **wynturmute** » Sat Aug 02, 2008 11:47 am

[quote="mk-ultra"][quote="wynturmute"][quote="ygmir"]I've seen herds of snipe on the perimeters...........

And, I'm hoping to attend the tarantula roundup this year, and, watch the "tarantula vs scorpion" battles.....[/quote]

Are you joking?[/quote]

He's not kidding. I don't know what attracts all the tarantulas (maybe it's the music?). People setting up camp usually scares them away from the area until day 2 or 3... then they get bold and start sneaking in from the trash fence perimeter after dusk.

Thankfully, the snipes mainly eat tarantulas (and scorpions)... so you shouldn't see more than a dozen or so in your camp site on any given night. Keep your pharmaceuticals suspended overhead in a "bear bag" -- the spiders always seem to go for the good stuff... and they're pretty annoying if they get all "touchy feely."[/quote]

Thanks, *crosses out sleeping on the ground*.
Anything else along these lines to expect?

mk-ultra · Post by **mk-ultra** » Sat Aug 02, 2008 11:53 am

wynturmute wrote: Thanks, *crosses out sleeping on the ground*.
Anything else along these lines to expect?

Just to be clear... my response was a bit of humor.

I have never seen anything alive out on the playa. No bugs. No critters.

If by "sleeping on the ground" you mean *actually* sleeping on the ground, as opposed to in a tent, you might want to reconsider that. Not because of bugs -- but because of the (amazing) amount of blowing dust. If the wind kicks up, you'll wake-up looking like a human sand dune.

Here's a video of one of last year's dust storms, just to give you an idea of what you're up against.

Bob · Post by **Bob** » Sat Aug 02, 2008 11:56 am

http://images.burningman.com/index.cgi? ... ing+mantis

The black widows & wind scorpions aren't as photogenic as the praying mantises, fwiw.

wynturmute · Post by **wynturmute** » Sat Aug 02, 2008 11:58 am

[quote="mk-ultra"][quote="wynturmute"]
Thanks, *crosses out sleeping on the ground*.
Anything else along these lines to expect?[/quote]

Just to be clear... my response was a bit of humor.

I have never seen anything alive out on the playa. No bugs. No critters.

If by "sleeping on the ground" you mean *actually* sleeping on the ground, as opposed to in a tent, you might want to reconsider that. Not because of bugs -- but because of the (amazing) amount of blowing dust. If the wind kicks up, you'll wake-up looking like a human sand dune.[/quote]

Oh no, I did mean with a tent but still I figure I might want to elevate myself by some means. I thought about sleeping in my car but I don't know how far that might put me from the action...

mk-ultra · Post by **mk-ultra** » Sat Aug 02, 2008 12:02 pm

Tent is *much* better than a car. You won't believe how hot a car gets (and remains well into the night). If you bring a tent, you can use the car as partial shade by putting your tent right next to it... and use it as a wind-break and anchor.

A car also gets hot very early in the day... no possibility of sleeping in late in one.

gyre · Post by **gyre** » Sat Aug 02, 2008 1:58 pm

There was a cow, I heard.

And I've seen groundmoose very late at night.
Cute.

There are some occasional lost bugs in the ground.
Lost or waiting for rain.

Someone accidentally brought the neighbor's cat and had to keep it in the truck for the entire burn.

I could bring some raccoons and set them loose.
That would liven things a bit.
But they get very cranky on long trips.

TomServo · Post by **TomServo** » Sat Aug 02, 2008 2:22 pm

mk-ultra wrote:
wynturmute wrote: Thanks, *crosses out sleeping on the ground*.
Anything else along these lines to expect?
Just to be clear... my response was a bit of humor.

I have never seen anything alive out on the playa. No bugs. No critters.

If by "sleeping on the ground" you mean *actually* sleeping on the ground, as opposed to in a tent, you might want to reconsider that. Not because of bugs -- but because of the (amazing) amount of blowing dust. If the wind kicks up, you'll wake-up looking like a human sand dune.

Here's a video of one of last year's dust storms, just to give you an idea of what you're up against.

GREAT VIDEO! brings back fond memories!

TomServo · Post by **TomServo** » Sat Aug 02, 2008 2:28 pm

not as impressive but here's what we saw..or didn't.

not my video..thanks to whoever shot it..D?

ygmir · Post by **ygmir** » Sat Aug 02, 2008 2:28 pm

gyre wrote:There was a cow, I heard.

And I've seen groundmoose very late at night.

.

the problem I have with groundmoose is it's so lean, it won't stay together in a patty on the BBQ without "fumunda" cheese to hold it together........

Isn't anyone else attending the "insect Olympics" (tarantula vs scorpion)........geeze..........I thought the birdnest stadium would attract all kinds.............

as long as the snipe don't eat all the combatants.........

CapSmashy · Post by **CapSmashy** » Sat Aug 02, 2008 2:34 pm

Had a crow hanging out last year on Sat morning.

phil · Post by **phil** » Sat Aug 02, 2008 6:03 pm

If you get bit by one of those tarantulas, head over to First Aid pronto:

Blood poisoning on the playa can be serious. See that red streak running up past the elbow toward the heart?

More photos and a close up of the bite at

[url]ttp://civex.smugmug.com/gallery/1447149_xnbYB[/url]

dragonpilot · Post by **dragonpilot** » Sat Aug 02, 2008 6:09 pm

Yuk![/img]

thirt33n · Post by **thirt33n** » Sat Aug 02, 2008 6:52 pm

CapSmashy wrote:

Had a crow hanging out last year on Sat morning.

oh my god, that's not a crow, that's ME!

Zulegoona · Post by **Zulegoona** » Sat Aug 02, 2008 7:26 pm

Iâ€™ve heard there was a small black beetle that lives primarily under the surface of the playa, but itâ€™s hard to say if the bug I saw was a resident, blown in or a hitchhiker. there is also suppose to be brine shrimp native to the playa...... sea monkey eggs , under ground, waiting!

Bob · Post by **Bob** » Sat Aug 02, 2008 8:12 pm

Those beetles came out in '96 after a light rain shower.

No brine shrimp, but they're in a couple lakes up the highway, you can smell them a mile away.

Bob · Post by **Bob** » Sat Aug 02, 2008 8:24 pm

Oh, and I've seen two-inch long black wasps on the playa, Ichneumons probably. They predate on scorpions, but I think they've developed a taste for hippies.

ygmir · Post by **ygmir** » Sat Aug 02, 2008 8:31 pm

thirt33n wrote:
CapSmashy wrote:

Had a crow hanging out last year on Sat morning.
oh my god, that's not a crow, that's ME!

you look damn good in a dress. But, why are you just staring at that Raven?..........

CapSmashy · Post by **CapSmashy** » Sat Aug 02, 2008 9:02 pm

ygmir wrote:you look damn good in a dress. But, why are you just staring at that Raven?..........

I was about to remark that I had thirt33n figured all wrong and was readying a heartfelt "How JOO doin?"

ygmir · Post by **ygmir** » Sat Aug 02, 2008 11:41 pm

CapSmashy wrote:
ygmir wrote:you look damn good in a dress. But, why are you just staring at that Raven?..........
I was about to remark that I had thirt33n figured all wrong and was readying a heartfelt "How JOO doin?"

does that dress make him look Yiddish?.........
sorry, cheesy, but, it's whiskey 'oclock..........