Expert: Dana Krempels, Ph.D. - 7/14/2008

Question
Hi there,
Are you able to answer the following questions for me please? I am from New Zealand and doing a very quick bit of research on seasonality:

MEXICO in December:
Do human botfly lay their eggs/larvae in Mexico in Nov-Dec?
Do you know of anyone studying these flies in Mexico?

USA in November:
Where can I find short tailed shrews in the USA in November?
Can I find striped skunks in Arizona in Nov-Dec?
Do rattlesnakes, black widow spiders and brown recluse spiders occur in LA/California in Nov-Dec?
Do harvest mites occur in Arizona/California in Nov-dec?
Where can we find electric rays on the Californian coast in Nov-Dec?

Sorry for all the questions - but any answers are appreciated.
Thank you!!

Sina  

Answer
Dear Sina,

I do not personally know anyone who is studying human botflies in Mexico, but there are several recent articles on these predator/parasites.  The best way to find people working on the flies is to contact the authors directly, such as by doing a Google search for the authors' names and their institutions from the article here:

http://memorias.ioc.fiocruz.br/913/2087.html

That would give you a good starting point, and those authors may be able to refer you to other researchers in the field.  

Unfortunately, many of the animals you mention as wanting to find in November and December are either inactive or hibernating during those months, which are winter here.  You can find information on the shrew here:

http://www.discoverlife.org/nh/tx/Vertebrata/Mammalia/Soricidae/Blarina/brevicau...

Striped skunks will be mostly hibernating in Nov/Dec, as will rattlesnakes in California.  However, you may be able to find Brown Recluse and/or Black Widow spiders in urban areas where there is artificial warmth in dwellings.

Harvest mites will also be underground in Nov/Dec.

http://www.flmnh.ufl.edu/fish/Gallery/Descript/Peray/Peray.html

will give you information on the Pacific Electric Ray, and where they are typically found.

Hope this helps.

Dana