hair trapping by jason mikelson. what are hair traps? they are traps that are for catching hair not...
TRANSCRIPT
Hair Trapping
By Jason Mikelson
What are hair traps?
• They are traps that are for catching hair not the critter it self.
• The traps are lined with sticky material.
• We made all our hair traps by hand.
What can you do with a hair?
• Well you can curl hair• Dye hair• Cut hair• Style hair• Wash hair• And even grow hair
What we do with hair.
• Analyze the hair• Take microscopic
pictures • Attempt to identify the
hair by structure, pigment patterns and DNA
• Catalogue them
Why we decided to do this?
• Loren Ayres, a small mammal biologist from the DNR, gave us critters to work with.
• There are no current records of small mammal distribution so hair trapping is a good way to determine what critters are where.
• If we get a good design the DNR will use it to do their research.
Our hair traps
• The first traps were made of Tupperware and plastic pipe.
• The second trap was well thought out and made of wood.
• The third trap we built would collect hair and a footprint.
The first traps
• The traps worked but you wouldn't get a lot of hair.
• Lining the pipes with tape wasn't easy.
• One critter chewed a hole threw the wall of the trap
The second trap
• It was made of wood.• Multiple entry ways• Removable plastic
slides for sticky material.
• Flip doors so the critters can’t go out the way they came in.
• Worked well in field
More pics
The third trap
• It was designed to be rock solid.
• We also added track strips it to help identify the critters.
• Great field results from hair and tracks.
More pics
Test results
• If something passes through the traps it will leave hair.
• The early tests of trap three showed great numbers of tracks and hair.
• Tests are continuing.
What was learned
• If a critter is hungry they will go through anything to eat.
• A mix of Peanut butter and seeds worked well for baiting the traps.
• It took a number of trials to get the tape to pull hair every time.
• I remember what it was like to have pets.