Barataria Preserve

Jean Lafitte National Park was such an incredible experience! Beautiful, lush untouched swamp land for miles and miles.  It was so dense we had to really stand still and look for all the ridiculously awesome creatures that live there.  I think you could go back daily and it would always be a different experience each time.

 Throughout the park there were wood decks built over the water so you're walking right through the middle of the swamp.

We were told to watch out for stinging caterpillars

Hundreds of Dragonflys flying all around, some even landing on us.  They felt like the fairies of the forest.

Tons of frogs and tadpoles in the water, which Harlow loved!

Giant Carpenter Ants

Harlow and I call Louisiana Land of the Lizard, they run this place

If you look super close you can see a Ribbon Snake

See his little head?

The highlight and biggest reason people come here are to spot Alligators in their natural habitat.  We found one before the mosquitos began to eat us alive

Lubber Grasshopper HUGE

These spiders were everywhere and I was desperate to get a good picture of one.   They're Banana Spiders and so MASSIVE!!!  I saw one eating a dragonfly.

Some guy at the Insectarium said he loves to pull them out of their webs and play with them.  He told us they build the strongest web in the species.  It freaked me out because the webs were so low I was almost running into them.  Could you imagine this guy just hanging out on your face? Nooooooooo  Or better yet Jason had Harlow on his shoulder, I could have easily looked up to find one of these spiders cruising along on the back of her head.  I told Jason if we go back I'll hold one, you know because I'm a bad ass and all.
Soo we'll probably never go back ;)