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High 30, Low 14. It's flurrying outside, but not enough to be anything more than pretty. Snow/Rain in the forecast today.    I'm pretty sure these are some grey fox tracks. He's been running around all over camp when i'm not looking. 
Dave from Hickory, NC
1/25/2011 12:16:11 am
I discovered your blog last night. thank you for the neat pics. How did you sneak up on the fox?
Melissa Armour
1/25/2011 01:02:42 am
Hey Alex! We made the trip up Saturday, boy was it cold! It was breathtakingly beautiful up on the mountain, though!
Ju G
1/25/2011 03:20:01 am
I love your blog and the wonderful pics. I have been in love with the Smokies my entire life. 1/25/2011 04:24:04 am
I plan on making a trip up there starting tomorrow morning. I hear bad weather coming into the area. I hope it's not too bad.
Allyson
1/25/2011 05:28:56 am
Here is the link Alex posted. If you click the word "snow fleas" it will take you to the page. I am also going to include the link here.
Dana P
1/25/2011 05:55:05 am
"Snow fleas" are in the arthropod order of Collembolas, also know as Sringtails..thus called for the forked abdominal appendage, furcula, that is used to propel them through the air. If you think a flea can jump, you should see a Collembola in action. Collembolas are essential to the decomposition of organic matter, such as leaves, animal feces, soil fungi/bacteria, downed logs. They are such cute little boogers under a microscope as I studied these hexapods in depth when I worked for UT Entomology Dept and then for Vegetation Management in the Smokies. Also, they don't bite humans in case any of you are worried. You can look for them on the underside of leaves also some occur in great numbers along the shoreline of streams or lakes.
Dana P
1/25/2011 05:59:50 am
David,
Dave from Hickory, NC
1/25/2011 08:08:48 am
Hey Dana,, thanks for the entomo lesson...I didn't know the little buggers jumped around in the snow
Dana P
1/25/2011 08:35:01 am
Sorry if I got a bit carried away, but bugs and plants are my thing. Around the experiment station I am know as "The Bug Lady". Even spiders don't freak me out..can't say the same for camel/cave crickets tho.
Mary
1/25/2011 10:32:42 am
Thanks Alex for the cool pictures and thanks Dana for the info!! I believe most of us on here enjoy anything "smokies"!!
Jerry
1/25/2011 12:17:40 pm
Hey Alex, a group of us hiked up Sat. and stayed in the shelter overnite. (IT WAS COLD !!!!) Sorry we missed you, I would have liked to have met you. Thanks for all the great info on this site. It was very helpful as I prepared for my first winter hike to Leconte. Your pics are awesome, but the Mtn. is even more amazing in person. The sunset alone made the trip worth while. Already looking forward to my next trip up. Thanks again.
Meg
1/26/2011 02:19:58 pm
Dana 9/2/2013 11:30:35 pm
Hey, nice pics. Thank you so much for sharing the wiki link for Snow Fleas. But, the truth is that the Snow Fleas are not fleas at all! They are actually another type of insects called the springtail! Comments are closed.
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