What Animals Live in the Entrance (Twilight | |
Zone) of Caves? |
Ceuthophilus longipes |
|
Ceuthophilus longipes is the camel cricket that is most adapted to living in a cave in North America. Notice the light coloration and the long thin legs and antennae. It lays its eggs deep within Carlsbad Cavern and returns to the surface to feed so it is classified as a trogloxene. |
|
|
|
A Toad (Bufo puntatus) |
|
This toad, whose scientific name is Bufo punctatus, was unlucky and fell down the entrance pit of a cave in Carlsbad Caverns National Park. He is an accidental and won't survive in the cave habitat if he can't escape. |
|
|
|
A Bullsnake(Pituophis melanoleucus) |
|
Snakes, such as this bull snake ( Pituophis melanoleucus) occasionally fall into entrance pits of caves. This bull snake is an accidental that was returned to the surface where it warmed up enough to slither away. |
|
|
|
Ladybugs |
|
These ladybugs were found gathered together on top of the guano-covered rocks below the entrance of Carlsbad Cavern. They are accidentals that became too cold to move and escape from the cave. Their bodies will form part of the remains that litter the cave floor and will someday provide food for other hungry organisms. |
|
|
|
Crane Fly |
|
Crane flies ( Diptera: Tipulidae ) are found in the entrance and twilight zones of caves. Bats love to eat them for breakfast, lunch and dinner. |
|
|
|
Mite |
|
In Carlsbad Cavern, mites like these live in the swallow and bat guano (where they can reach 10,000 mites/cup of guano in July under the maternity roost ). Some are fungivores ( fungus eaters) and some are predatory, eating other mites. You may also see mites on some formations in Carlsbad Cavern. |
|
|
|
Harvestmen |
|
Harvestmen or 'daddy longlegs', such as these from Spider Cave, are found in the twilight zone of caves (trogloxenes) or in the dark zone as troglobites. They are not spiders, are not venomous, and feed on a variety of invertebrate prey . |