Photo 256134, (c) Todd Jackson, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Todd Jackson

Attribution © Todd Jackson
some rights reserved
Uploaded by todd_jackson todd_jackson
Source iNaturalist
Associated observations

Photos / Sounds

Observer

todd_jackson

Date

September 18, 2007

Description

Observed two adult individuals, one apparently harboring mites (not eggs), while surveying salamanders (Eurycea tonkawae) in an upland, spring-fed stream on the Wheless Tract of the BCP system. These two individuals were recaptured the following day. They were inhabiting undercut banks where they were probably preying on salamanders. While I occasionally find these on the outskirts of Austin, I don't see them in town, even where appropriate aquatic habitat is present. They are negatively affected by light pollution as evidenced by the occasional news article referencing large swarms attracted to artificial lighting. I think that those individuals are less likely to breed, and are eventually extirpated from urban streams. Habitat photo included.

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