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David Mueller, Entomology Alum, Explores Africa During ‘Small Game’ Safari

By: David Mueller
PCT Online
February 15, 2006

Dave Mueller (right) of Insects Limited, Inc. and son Pete Mueller (left) of Fumigation Service & Supply, Inc., recently returned from a “Small Game” safari in South Africa.

Most people go to Africa to see big game like elephants, Cape buffalo, lions, and rhinos, but my son Pete and I visited this great country in search of “small game” like rhinoceros beetles, scorpions, spiders, and large nocturnal moths in South Africa’s Zululand.

The trip to South Africa was a gift to Peter after graduating from Purdue University in December. The two-week adventure included many sights and sounds not found in Indiana. Each day a game drive was offered by a veteran ranger on a 15,000-acre private reserve. Here, many sightings of crocodiles, elephants, wildebeest, hippos, warthogs, colorful birds, giraffes, lions, Cape buffalo, and eagles would occur along with varied antelope species. This was like being in Jurassic Park …but real.

The warm nights brought out many different insects, frogs, and snakes to the lights around the game lodge. It attracted large, 4-inch-long horned beetles, energetic dung beetles, 12-inch-long emperor scorpions, giant water boatman the size of a small bird, and venomous spiders, but the real trophy was the capture of a “Red Roman.” This 3-inch-long, fuzzy eight-legged predator with an attitude was as mean as a rattlesnake. It ran back and forth near the lights, eating everything in its way.

Each night, specimens would be prepared after capturing by steaming them over the coffee pot to kill them and pinned in a collection box by Pete who put to use some of his collecting skills learned in his entomology classes at Purdue.

Each night specimens would be prepared after capturing by steaming them over the coffee pot to kill them and pinned in a collection box by Pete who put to use some of his collecting skills learned in his entomology classes at Purdue.

People saw us walking around the game lodge at night with flashlights and asked what we were doing. After showing them the mounted collection boxes, they would tell others and before long they were asking to see what was found that night. They also helped us spot insects they found (some in their rooms) during the day.

Watching the persistent dung beetles gather their perfectly sculptured balls of rhino dung and rolling them quickly over the rough landscape to a spot to be buried is a sight to see.

Small game hunting was an unexpected adventure on this father/son trip to South Africa but one that will offer great memories for years to come. The pictures, maps, postcards, and collection boxes of exotic specimens will tell a special story, but the real story is about the time spent and experiences together in a place where new discoveries come around the lights each night.

David K. Mueller, BCE
President of Insects Limited, Inc.
Westfield, IN