Went to Dykes Bridge Cave and Wells Cave along Buck Creek in Pulaski Co., Kentucky, with Bill Walden to look for cavefish and other cave critters. Water was up and cloudy so we spent most of the time looking for and photography terrestrial life.
Unfortunately, we also found the work of several vandals: much graffiti, beer bottles, and evidence of fire in both caves. Very disappointing to see.
Species on the day:
Dykes Bridge Cave:
Amphibians:
Eurycea lucifuga (Cave Salamander) 10 adults and juveniles, 11 small larvae
Eurycea longicauda longicauda (Longtail Salamander) 3 juveniles
Rana clamitans melanota (Northern Green Frog) 2 adults
Fishes:
Cyprinella spiloptera (Spotfin Shiner) 2
Moxostoma erythrurum (Golden Redhorse) 2
Mammals:
Pipistrellus subflavus (Eastern Pipistrelle) 1
Myotis lucifugus (Little Brown Bat) 1
Invertebrates:
Cave Crickets
Cave Isopods
Troglophilic Spiders
Wells Cave:
Amphibians:
Eurycea longicauda longicauda (Longtail Salamander) 1 adult
Mammals:
Pipistrellus subflavus (Eastern Pipistrelle) 50+
Myotis lucifugus (Little Brown Bat) 10+
Plecotus rafinesquii (Rafinesque's Big-Eared Bat) 1
Invertebrates:
Orconectes packardi (Packard's Cave Crayfish) 5
Cave Crickets
Cave Milliped
Cave Isopods
Sphalloplana sp. (A Cave Flatworm) 3
Troglophilic Spiders
Eurycea lucifuga (Cave Salamander) from Wells Cave
Eurycea longicauda longicauda (Longtail Salamander) from Dykes Bridge Cave
Eurycea longicauda longicauda (Longtail Salamander) from Wells Cave
Pipistrellus subflavus (Eastern Pipistrelle) from Wells Cave
Pipistrellus subflavus (Eastern Pipistrelle) from Wells Cave
Myotis lucifugus (Little Brown Bat) from Wells Cave
Pipistrellus subflavus (Eastern Pipistrelle) from Wells Cave
Plecotus rafinesquii (Rafinesque's Big-Eared Bat) from Wells Cave
Plecotus rafinesquii (Rafinesque's Big-Eared Bat) from Wells Cave
Orconectes packardi (Packard's Cave Crayfish) from Dykes Bridge Cave
Sphalloplana sp. (A Cave Flatworm) from Wells Cave
Sphalloplana sp. (A Cave Flatworm) from Wells Cave
Troglobitic Isopods from Wells Cave
Cave Cricket from Wells Cave
Troglophilic Spider from Dykes Bridge Cave
Troglophilic Harvestman from Wells Cave
Cricket from Dykes Bridge Cave
Below are photographs of the horrific vandalism of Dykes Bridge Cave and Wells Cave:
From Dykes Bridge Cave
Bill Walden photographing the vandalism
From Wells Cave
Fire Pit in Wells Cave
Leftovers