THE SEARCH FOR DONKEY SHIT cont…

THE SEARCH FOR DONKEY SHIT cont…

Thanks to the committee of the ENHG for organizing this climb and especially to Bill Jones. We’re looking forward to the next one.

UAE Weevils cont…

One other thing that I did when planning my trip to the Museum was to sort out some specimens of UAE weevils that I had hitherto been unable to identify. Unfortunately, I was unable to access part of my collection for specimens, but I did take some 30 odd specimens representing five different species with me. Weevils are those beetles that have their head produced into a snout or, more correctly, rostrum. They are exclusively phytophagous (vegetarian) and usually, but not always small in size. The family name is Curculionidae and it is the largest family of animals in existence, even though several other families such as Attelabidae and Brentidae have recently been split from it. There are about 50 species found in the UAE, but they are not well known. However, one large member of the family is becoming better known and features quite often even in the UAE press. It is the Red Palm Weevil, Rhynchophorus ferrugineus, which was accidentally imported into the UAE and elsewhere in the region some 20 years ago. This highly damaging pest of date and other palms has spread from its original home in southern Asia to the whole of Middle East and North Africa and has even reached Spain.

Iftar Dinner 2005 – Hosted by the Zayed Center for Heritage & History

On behalf of the members, I want to express my thanks to Barb Reimer who accepted the challenge this year to organize our annual Iftar Dinner, held for the third year in a row at the Zayed Center for Heritage and History. Close to 70 were on hand for the meal provided by the Al Ain Intercontinental Resort . . . the hotel staff under the excellent supervision of our good friend Pinto. That the evening went as smoothly as it did was evidence of the superb manner Barb organized the event for us. Thanks.

I also wish to thank Dr. Hassan Al Naboodah for all of his help and for his sincere enthusiasm! When I went to see him about the event in September, he had already booked the date and was looking forward to hosting the ENHG members! A special word of thanks for the traditional (local) sweets he provided as well as his generous gift of copies of the recently completed book containing all of the presentations made at the first Al Ain archaeology conference!

Last, but certainly not least, a sincere thank you to Dr. Abdullah Khuwaileh who stepped in on very short notice to be our guest speaker. His personal and often humorous remarks were very much appreciated.

October Field Trips

articles and photos by Bob Reimer

Jazira – October 7, 2005
Our first October field trip was to a favourite site, Jazira. This lovely little oasis was an excellent choice since it is uninhabited and we were likely to have it to ourselves. The wadi has several aspects to enjoy, especially for the newcomer. There is a good variety of vegetation in the well-kept oasis with the date palms, mangoes, bananas and pomegranates. The abandoned village features a little mosque and a variety of decaying traditional homes. The graveyard is covered by aloe vera. I enjoyed stalking the insect life in the oasis photographing damselflies, bugs, hoverflies and butterflies. After the oasis visit, the group headed for the pools where many enjoyed a refreshing swim or wade. A highlight of our time at the pools was watching the wadi fish fight over Will’s donated watermelon. A great day to start Ramadan.

October Field Trips cont...

Sunrise on Jebel Mahdah and walk at Al Khubayb – October 14, 2005
A surprisingly large group gathered early in the morning at Buraimi Hotel for the trip up Jebel Mahdah to view the sunrise. Because of the small parking area at the top, we piled into three vehicles and headed out. The road to the top the telecommunications site near the top of Jebel Mahdah is paved, but rains have eroded deep gullies making some of the ascent challenging. We arrived on time to settle on the plateau facing east some 450 meters above the wadi plain. As the sun peeked through the Hajar mountains at about 6:17 AM, shutters snapped furiously capturing the majestic vista. We had agreed to meet those who didn’t want to get up so early at the Mahdah fort at 7:30 AM so we headed down the Jebel at 7:15. Geoff Cosson led another group that met arrived at the meeting spot perfectly timed at 7:25 just as we arrived.

From Mahdah, we headed out towards Aboul. Rather then head into a familiar area, we chose to turn right just before Aboul and make a rare visit to the wadi just to the south, Al Khubayb. Al Khubayb appears to have been occupied for quite some time although it would appear that no one lives there now. The oasis is still tended though. As we drove in we could see evidence of stone walls and houses, terraced fields and a falaj. A small two-story fort commands the entrance to the oasis area of the wadi. We followed the falaj back to the wadi then further back to where a deep bowl had been carved in the rock by two converging streams. On the way back out, we stopped to take a closer look at the older falaj that had at one time brought access water from the oasis to the terraced fields a kilometre about a kilometre away. As some scrambled up the slope, I spotted a group of tiger beetles by a pool. Tiger beetles are notoriously hard to photograph because they are strong fliers and move very quickly. Fortunately I was able to get some good photos and then one settled into feeding along the edge of the pool. I was able to get some great shots but the session was cut short by shouts of “Yallah, Bob!!” from Brigitte. After the trip, I sent representative photographs off to our coleopterist, Mike Gillet. He was very pleased with the photos telling me that I actually had two species, and that the feeding one was a rare species, Lophyridia diania, previously only seen at Aboul and otherwise a rare inland species in Iraq and Iran. I was able to send him coordinates and pinpoint the location on a map, but didn’t think this was significant since the site was only a kilometre from Aboul. Mike responded that “since the known range of diania in A'bul is basically only from the small dam to about halfway down to the ford near the entrance gate (i.e. about 100m) the new record is significant. Makes me think that diania will turn up elsewhere. I remember that it was about 6-7

October Field Trips cont...

Jabeeb – October 21, 2005
Jabeeb is a favourite spot for two reasons: introducing newcomers to camels and interesting archaeology ranging from the recent past to iron age sites. Since the building of the border fence, many camel farms were moved from Oman to Jabeeb leading to one of the largest concentrations of racing camels in the UAE. The first stop was to see the camels which were, as usual, present in abundance. The next stop was the gatch pit to see the remains of wells and hearths. A number of large chunks of pottery were found that were evidently from very large vessels, perhaps as much as 1 metre high by 1 metre in diameter. We then moved on to a site that often yields pottery and remains of copper pots. Brien and Brigitte used the opportunity to demonstrate the copper testing kit. The site yielded a mass of decayed copper which was collected, then Brien crushed it with a mortar and pestle then put the crushed material in a glass bottle. Brigitte first added hydrochloric acid (HCl) to the bottle. If copper is present in the material, the hydrochloric acid will react with the copper to form copper salts (CuCl2). She then added ammonia (NH4OH) which, if copper is present, will form a blue precipitate of cupric hydroxide. The appropriate smoky reaction occurred and the liquid turned blue demonstrating the presence of copper. (For more information see http://home.att.net/~cat6a/metals-XIV.htm. Some interesting information on detecting copper deposits from orbit can be seen at http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Study/ASTERProspecting/). A number of members also had fun at the site chasing a toad-headed agamid (Phrynocephalus arabicus) trying to get pictures of it.

October Field Trips cont...

Subaitah – October 28, 2005
Subaitah is one of Jerry Buzzell’s favourite oases, so during the week a number of trip planners got the note: “Enough fooling around. It’s time to go to Subaitah. I’ll lead!” Subaitah is a well-tended oasis with a challenging falaj walk and some interesting archaeology. Lemons in the oasis were in fruit, but the rush of irrigation water that is often noted in the spring was absent as many of the plants are resting for next year. Oman lizards (Lacerta jayakari) were seen on the way into the oasis on the outside of a house and on the way out next to a field wall. I was seduced by the dragonflies around the cistern on the way out and then the bee flies that were darting about near where the falaj enters the oasis, so that by the time I got out to near the end of the falaj, the group was returning. Many people commented on the frequent presence of masses of snail shells next to the falaj. These are freshwater snails. They are special interest of Gary Feulner of the Dubai NHG, so samples were sent back for him with some guests who joined us from the Dubai group.

October Field Trips cont...

article and photos by Robin Henry

Subaitah – another perspective
A group of 30 keen explorers turned up for our most recent walk into Subaitah. We were pleased to have with us a couple from the Dubai Branch of ENHG who had driven down for the day. For those who haven't been there, Subaitah is at the end of a smaller version of the Grand Canyon (much smaller), which has an almost vertical wall on one side and a less acute wall on the other. A well constructed concrete falaj extends for what must be nearly a couple of kilometres up the wadi. All 30 of us walked along the falaj to a water source where we sat for a while and recouped prior to our return. A couple of brave souls put their feet into the water, totally disregarding the likelihood of crocodiles, sharks and other potential hazards. The rest of us just sat about and relaxed as you can see from photos one and two.

Field Trip Guidelines

Just by way of a reminder, here are the field trip guidelines for ENHG outings. We don’t like to insist, at the last minute that someone ‘should not accompany the group” because we don’t think they are wearing appropriate clothing – this is a volunteer group – so please, volunteer to read the following – and then, if in doubt, don’t wear it – cover up and protect your skin from the sun! – Wear solid shoes or boots – not flip flops or sandals.
A. Dress Code
o Observe the usual courtesies in a Muslim country.
o Loose garments made from cotton or natural fibres are preferred for comfort (heat and movement). Long-sleeved shirts and long pants provide the best sun protection, protect against scrapes and scratches and are culturally sensitive.
o Shorts should extend below the knee if they must be worn.
o Women wearing shorts or a sleeveless top should bring a shawl and/or shirt to ‘cover-up’ if necessary.
o It is recommended that you wear a hat, headscarf or other covering.
o Suitable footwear is particularly important. Backless shoes do not afford sufficient protection or support. Members have been stung in the toe by wasps while wearing sandals, so they are not recommended.
B. Essential Provisions
o Heat exhaustion is always an important consideration. It is recommended that EACH individual carries two (2) litres of water for personal consumption.
o It is also prudent to use a sunblock.
o Try to carry your possessions so that you are comfortable and your hands are free.
o Please do not leave valuables (phone, cash etc) in your vehicle; regrettably there are break-ins at some villages.
C. General Fitness
o Our objective is to include as many people as possible in each of our activities.
o Certain medical conditions may mean that you are not able to participate fully. Some field trips are more strenuous than others.
o If you have a medical condition, or doubts about your fitness to participate, it is vital that you advise the trip leader beforehand. Once we are aware of your condition, you will be able to participate and we will only intervene if you experience difficulties.
o Diabetics should bring sugar lumps and asthmatics must bring their inhalers.
o Whatever the level of your involvement, we try to see that each field trip is rewarding and interesting for all concerned.
D. Preparation
o Review the convoy driving guidelines if you will be taking your own vehicle on the trip.
o It is strongly recommended that you check the website and Internet to gain an insight to the area or subject being visited.
o If you have a question, please contact a Committee member or send an email to the group members at enhg@yahoogroups.com.

Field Trip Guidelines cont...

The ENHG Insect Collection

article & photos by Matthew Elliott

"Participants in the ENHG’s bug evening are introduced, in the course of their initial visits, to its magnificent collections of arthropods and insects. While species such as jewel beetles and death’s head moths draw the eye through their spectacular appearance, others delight by their names alone. To most a curious story of behaviour can be attached or some strange feature explained. Dr Brigitte Howarth pointed out a smallish picture wing fly whose wings bear a pattern resembling another, smaller fly and thereby deceive predators into lunging at the wings rather than at the creature itself.

After observation with the naked eye, the collection may be examined in detail either through microscopes or Bob Reimer’s fine close-up photography. Newcomers, however, do not merely watch but learn to record, handle and affix specimens. Like pictures they need to be hung correctly in order to be observed and studied to their best advantage. And as with antique paintings, the specimens’ pigments change with the passage of time: some remain brilliant while others alter or fade. Views differ about how best to preserve such delicate creatures. Sometimes one wavers between drastic restoration (gluing fallen heads or limbs with insect cement) and conserving the remainder.

The bug evenings help to diffuse affection, fascination and respect for these wonderful beasts as well as expertise in how to recognize, record, preserve and present them. The young Luke Howarth, a formidable bug-hunter, usually appears early on with some new specimen which he has picked up at or on his way to school while Brien Holmes may be counted upon to enliven the event with his presence and anecdotes."