Field trip in Nicaragua

[JEAN MICHEL MAES]

Sorry for my attachment.
Normally I use this way to avoid large texts.

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FIELD TRIP - NICARAGUA 2000

FROM FRIDAY 28 OF JANUARY TO FRIDAY 11 OF FEBRUARY 2000

Entomological Museum of Leon is organizing a field trip for collecting
insects, for february 2000, including tropical dry forest, cloud forest,
tall forest and tropical humid forest.

Dates and places :
Friday 28 of january : 
Arrival to Managua - Nicaragua.
A shuttle bus will take the participants to the hotel Las Mercedes.
Dinner buffet, meeting of the participants.
Night in twin rooms.
Saturday 29 of january : 
Departure for the biological station of San Ramon, Ometepe.
Dinner and instalation in Ometepe : Estaci¢n Biol¢gica San Ramon, Maderas
Volcano.
Short walk in the afternoon (optional).
Light collecting in the night.
Sunday 30 of january.
Trip in dry forest (half hour walking to go).
Light collecting in the night.
Monday 31 of january 
Trip in cloud forest (1 hour to go).
Light collecting in the night.
Tuesday 1 of february
Trip in cloud forest (1 hour to go).
Light collecting in the night.
Wednesday 2 of february
Short walk (optional) 
Leave Ometepe
Going to Granada.
Thursday 3 of february
Trip in cloud forest on Volc n Mombacho.
Friday 4 of february
Trip in tall forest and cloud forest on Volc n Mombacho.
Saturday 5 of february 
Going to R¡o San Juan, Estaci¢n Biol¢gica BARTOLA.
Sunday 6 of february 
Trip in tropical humid forest.
Light collecting in the night.
Monday 7 of february 
Trip in tropical humid forest.
Light collecting in the night.
Thuesday 8 of february 
Trip in tropical humid forest.
Light collecting in the night.
Wednesday 9 of february 
Trip in tropical humid forest.
Light collecting in the night.
Thursday 10 of february
Going back to Managua
Night in Hotel Las Mercedes.
Friday 11 of february
Leaving Nicaragua.

CONDITIONS
Price : 1,200 US $ pre-paid.
All include (inside Nicaragua travels, hotel, field sations, meals).
Not include : alcoholic beverages, phone calls, visa and airport taxes.
Participant number : 12 maximum.
Collecting permits and agreements :
Each participant sign an agreement with the Entomological Museum. In the
agreement the 
participant accepts to send back 1 specimen of each species he can
identify, or, in the 
case it's unique, a picture. That agreement allow the participant to use
the export permits of 
the Entomological Museum.
The collecting permits are valid only for insects and other invertebrates.
For vertebrates, 
permits only allows observation and photography.
Collecting facilities :
Each participant will bring with him his own material to work.
In Ometepe and Bartola stations we will have a generator and light trap to
collect in the 
night.
In Mombacho Volcano, a biological station is in project. As we are not
completely shure 
that it will be finished in february, we let only two days at this place,
with possibility of 
accomodation in Granada city. It will be difficult to collecting at night
in Mombacho if 
accomodation is in Granada (if collecting at night then accomodation will
not be very 
comfortable).
The day 3 of february of 2000 is new moon, so we will have good
night-collecting during all 
the trip.

What to bring with you :
? To work : each participant is responsable to bring and care is own
material. In 
Nicaragua it is possible to find batteries and films but it could be very
difficult to find 
parts of specific material. Avoid very heavy material, difficult to bring
with you during 
the day trips. 
? To sleep : a light blanket, better in cotton or a light sleeping bag. Add
a mosquito 
net if you want. We will be in dry season but there can fly some mosquitoes
in R¡o 
San Juan. A flashlight. 
? To eat. If vegetarian or needing a special diet, please avise with time
to the 
organizer. 
? To smoke : for smokers, remember no smoking in bus and rooms. 
? For aquatic transport (there will be aquatic transports to Ometepe
Station and to 
Bartola, on R¡o San Juan) : think in prepare some big plastic bags to
packing the 
bags. Also packing some fragile stuff in plastic bags to avoid humidity
damage. 
? Security : Nicaragua is a quiet place but we recommand using a belt to
put under 
the clothes, with special pockets to put money, credit cards, plane
tickets, passport 
and other values). Keep an eye on your luggage. 
? Medicine : if you are taking some medecine, take enough for the 15 days, in 
Nicaragua there are many pharmacy but very few different medecines. Ask to
your 
doctor a anti-malaria treatment, to take normally 15 days before and after
the trip. 
There are not many health problems in Nicaragua. Recommendation : do not
drink 
water if not shure it is safe and take care to the food in the streets.
Think also to a 
canteen or a bottle to carry the water. A small personal first-aid kit. Add
also some 
strong anti-histaminic (for ant and wasp sting, there are also some
urticant plants), 
Imodium or equivalent, something for stomach problems and head hake. Some 
fungic dust for the feets. Repellent for mosquitoes. 
? For the field : comfortables shoes to walk, with good socks to avoid
blister 
problems. A light bag to go in the fields, to take material to work and
some water. 
The organisers take the meals and water. 
? In Ometepe it will be possible to swim and make some kayak. 
? Cloths : light, better cotton made. Comfortable shoes to walk and light
sandals to 
rest in the station. A sun hat and a very light raincoat. 
? Music : all music material with earplugs.
 
Confirmation of your participation as soon as possible before 30 of October.
 
For more information contact :
Jean-Michel Maes
Jmmaes at ibw.com.ni

Jean-Michel MAES
Museo Entomologico
Asociacion Nicaraguense de Entomologia
AP 527 - Leon
NICARAGUA

tel 505-0-3116586

FAX 505-0-3115700

jmmaes at ibw.com.ni

httm://www.sdnnic.org.ni/museo_entomologico.htm