Read the previous part of this blog entry in Butterflies near Trapiche del Rosario.
When we returned to the town of Trapiche del Rosario, we decided to walk into the opposite direction. We followed the main road for a while, and when we were able to get off the road to the right we did so.
We arrived in a large field with an unfinished building, probably for housing cows. I looked around, checking under stones, because this looked like an excellent habitat for scorpions (Centruroides gracilis). Shortly after I did find a shed snakeskin on the ground.
Esme and I continued our walk into the direction of the town of Trapiche del Rosario. When I moved a larger stone, I suddenly saw our first scorpion of the day, running away, and hiding on a large stone nearby.
When I moved the other stone, the adult female Centruroides gracilis, because that was the name of this large, dark colored scorpion, walked back to the stone it was originally hiding under. And when I lifted that one again, I was able to make a few photos of the scorpion.
The dirt track we were following suddenly ended, so we decided to walk back to the building and have a break in its shadow. After we were refreshed and had eaten a little, we walked in the opposite direction.
We found a field that originally had sugercane growing on it, but the plants had been cut away. In the field were several boulders. While Esme rested a bit more in the shadow, I looked underneath several. And under one I found a tiny juvenile tarantula, very likely Brachypelma vagans (Mexican red-rump).
Since the sun was burning relentlessly, despite the late hour of the day, I joined Esme in the shadow for a while, and had several sips of the drinks we had brought with us. We watched a lizard I had scared earlier by walking nearby where it was basking, slowly return to its spot in the sun.
On our way back we climbed a low mound, and discovered a small puddle on top. Close to the puddle was a dragonfly resting. It took me quite some patience to get a few good photos, but I think I managed ok.
When we returned to the main road we decided to try to stop a taxi to get back to Xalapa. And after a minute or 10 a taxi did stop for us, and we were on our way back to Xalapa.
