Mount Ishizuchi (石鎚山), Tsurunokonokashira (鶴ノ子ノ頭) and Kokuminshukusha old Iwaya Zhuang (国民宿舎古岩屋荘)

 While visiting Mount Ishizuchi (石鎚山) with an entomology field trip we stayed at Tsuchigoya Lodge (国民宿舎石鎚). The lodge is a traditional style Japanese Inn with tatami mats and futons in the rooms. The ones facing the parking lot have a nice view of the mountains and despite the rain and fog it was nice to sit with a tea and relax with the view. Some rooms actually have western style chairs in a small tea area facing the view, but I wasn't in one of those.

Tsuchigoya Lodge (国民宿舎石鎚)

The weather was quite bad with an approaching typhoon causing waves of rain that worsened throughout the day but we still went for a short hike up the trail towards the peak. We only made it about half way (up to the top of Tsurunokonokashira (鶴ノ子ノ頭)) before the rain got worse because we were stopping to collect insects (with a permit) along the way. The focus was wasps but we still got to see some interesting beetles, moths, leaf hoppers and tree hoppers.

Butragulus flavipes (Tree Hopper)

There weren't many flowers out but some mints, rubus and Trichosanthes wallichiana were in bloom along the trail.

Trichosanthes wallichiana

 The habitat was all quite similar but did change from a deciduous woodland to a coniferous more open woodland as we got higher to the more rocky areas.

 Mount Ishizuchi (石鎚山) / Tsurunokonokashira (鶴ノ子ノ頭)

 Mount Ishizuchi (石鎚山) / Tsurunokonokashira (鶴ノ子ノ頭)

 Mount Ishizuchi (石鎚山) / Tsurunokonokashira (鶴ノ子ノ頭)

 Mount Ishizuchi (石鎚山) / Tsurunokonokashira (鶴ノ子ノ頭)

 Mount Ishizuchi (石鎚山) / Tsurunokonokashira (鶴ノ子ノ頭)

With threats of the typhoon causing landslides and road closures we left the mountain early to got down to Kokuminshukusha old Iwaya Zhuang (国民宿舎古岩屋荘). That is a much fancier spa/inn with wifi, nice rooms that pretty much all have a view of the rock faces on the other side of the river. The food here was very very good and we had a huge authentic Japanese meal with very diverse dishes.

Kokuminshukusha old Iwaya Zhuang (国民宿舎古岩屋荘)

Kokuminshukusha old Iwaya Zhuang (国民宿舎古岩屋荘)

Kokuminshukusha old Iwaya Zhuang (国民宿舎古岩屋荘)

Kokuminshukusha old Iwaya Zhuang (国民宿舎古岩屋荘)

There are small hiking trails nearby the hotel that go up to two shrines along the river. They are small simple shrines but one of them lies in front of a small statue in a hollowed out are of the rock face. 

 The weather was rainy but as a group we went on a short hike around one of the loops that takes you to both of the shrines and back along the road. The rain made collecting insects impossible but  the trail was alive with amphibians and the reptiles that eat them. We also found a huge purple-blue worm that is apparently unusual to see.

Me showing everyone a Japanese Ratsnake

Pheretima sieboldi

In between the waves of rain the insects came out briefly. It was surprising how many of them we could see even though it was so wet.

Young Planthoppers

Oriental Beetle (Exomala orientalis)

At night an oak tree also had some interesting beetles a number of large noctuid moths and a large treefrog eating them.  One of the most interesting species was a type of beetle that eats snails.

Snail-eating Beetle (Carabus blaptoides)

Little Stag Beetle (Dorcus rectus)

Sipalinus gigas

Noctuid Moth

Kajika Frog (Buergeria buergeri)

Kajika Frog (Buergeria buergeri)

Kajika Frog (Buergeria buergeri)

We set up a light trap again for insects and saw more than we had in the rainy weather higher on the mountain. I expect having some shelter from the wind helped a lot.

Polythlipta liquidalis

Free-living Hemipterans Suborder Auchenorrhyncha

 During my night hike I found an unusual snake, an Peters' Odd-scaled Snake (Achalinus spinalis)
. I believe it is that species and not a Grey Burrowing Snake (Achalinus spinalis) because of it's bright yellow underbelly compared to the grey underbelly I have seen on google photos of Grey Burrowing Snakes. It is not the best way to ID but since my field guide to herps of Japan is in Japanese all I have is pictures and badly translated script.

Peters' Odd-scaled Snake (Achalinus spinalis)

Achalinus werneri (Amami Takachiho Snake)

The trip overall was a great experience to meet so many people interested in biology and to explore one of the interesting areas of Shikoku island. Luckily on the last afternoon there the weather cleared for a few hours and all the entomologists were able to find a few interesting things just before heading back to Matsuyama.

Chinese Mantis

Shioya-Abu (Promachus yesonicus)

 It was a short visit but it was lovely to see this friendly face in Japan and do some bio nerding together for a weekend.