Move

 The way things move and also where animals move too is very critical to their ways of life. Often we underestimate the value of moving. Humans are a sedentary species, but we have not always been that way and things such as wars and natural disasters still cause huge displacements of people around the world.

 

 This formidable common snapping turtle is armed with fast reflexes, a hard shell, strong limbs and a sharp beak. Still, while she is out in the open she is vulnerable to everything from mountain lions to dog walkers. Snapping turtle are here year around, but are usually buried deep in mud of the river and canals.

 Birds can migrate long distances to find better conditions. Great blue heron populations in New Mexico are not known for long migrations. They drop into the bosque from time to time in predictable locations when the fishing is good.

The hummingbirds are fiercely territorial and responsible for chasing many other birds out of the trees during the summer. As their numbers decline in the fall migration, there is room for many more bird species in the bosque. The diversity can be very impressive on good years.

 

 Turkey vultures and raven/crows are appearing again. The crow numbers swell to impressive flocks in the winter, while the vultures are noticeable because they travel south in  caravans to Costa Rica and spot for rest stops in the bosque before continuing on.

These young king birds were creating a lot of noise as they start heading out on their own after leaving the nest. They will try to beg for food for a while, but are increasingly being rejected by the parents. Tyrant flycatchers like this species are usually very aggressive to other birds.

Preying mantis are large, impressive insects. This gravid female is getting ready to create their distinctive hard foam nests called an ootheca. Most mantids seen are imported species used for bug control. Strangely, mantids have only one ear, so cannot locate sound sources while stationary.

In the colder nights, insects bed down for the night. many bee species lock their jaws on a plant stem like this one, and enter a torpor state. This bee is a longhorn cuckoo bee. It lays its eggs in the brood chambers of longhorn bees. The cuckoo grub then kills the original grub and feeds on the food reserves that were stored in the chamber.

This is the end of the mating season for ladybirds and they will soon be gathering to overwinter under leaves in sheltered locations in the bosque. Many ladybugs are not native and are imported to control soft bodied insects such as aphids and scale.

The frequent rains have come down on the mesa at just the right intervals to allow pools to form in the soft clay. The desert frogs thrive in this habitat, as long as predators stay away.

The water disappears quickly, and usually the tadpoles also leave quickly. However, if they take too long to leave the pool, they are at risk of being attacked by birds, dragonfly larvae, or predatory beetles.

There are many sphinx moths in the desert looking to lay eggs far away from predatory wasps. Their caterpillars are large and often come in a wide range of colors.

This spider is very similar colored to the velvet ant, an insect most animals learn to leave alone. Most range maps do not show this spider existing in New Mexico...but there it is.

The hairy back legs and strange antenna on this bee show it to a Svastra. These bees have very hairy legs and are solitary, but often found in a loose agglomerations. The solitary bee species are very diverse to exploit different ecological niches. They need a more catchy name, however. Maybe Wookie bee?

Conchuela are a type of stink bug that also overwinters under leaf litter after laying eggs all summer. They feed on plant sap and can be found out in surprisingly cold weather.

This moth species is actually a complicated question. This tribe of moths has a large number of members and a lot of confusion over the classifications. It is a Boarmiini. It can seem odd that something as simple as a moth is hard to describe, but the moths have been studied for their weird taxonomy and surprising rapid evolutions ever since they were shown to be adapting to the soot covered buildings of Victorian England before Darwin nailed down the evolution idea.

Leaf bugs are also wrapping up their reproductive cycle and soon will move to their overwintering sites. These bugs are tough and resistant to many types of insecticide that just can't get into their bodies to have an effect. The cool looking legs on these bugs identify them as "leaf footed bugs". It is odd to many people that many insects are not, actually "bugs". 

Its strange we are not more worried about this little flea, and we focus on those large scary bugs in the weeds. Fleas are not common in the SW, but are going to be around more during the next summer just due to the extra moisture we have seen now. Rabbits are susceptible to many infections from fleas and their numbers fluctuate. While much is unknown, we know parasites and diseases have profound effects on the movement of animals and humans on their migrations and this research is pretty interesting science.

History

 The more things change, the more they stay the same. Most insects and plants in the Corrales Bosque are preparing their affairs to get ready for the winter months ahead. Whether it's seeds, spores, eggs, or dens, everything is getting ready to turn over yet another year according to the directions laid down in each organism's DNA.

This is a mayfly, but more accurately, it is a speckled dun. This heralds the start of the trout mayfly hatching that many cold water fishermen have been waiting for all summer. The feeding frenzy is a sort of legend among trout fishermen (more accurately, fly tying fishermen). The trouble is, once the fish are full, they will not strike as much at those lures.

 

 Most insects are mating, but every species does things slightly differently. Because the male dies after mating, each male does not hold back in its mating effort.

 

 Leaf footed bugs overwinter and lay eggs in the spring and summer. Apparently, many are active right now and many eggs are hatching. They are not really a pest but they do have repuginatorial glands. Many insects have these glands and almost all of them are called stink bugs.

Ant swarms occur on a warm day after a rain. Swarms over bodies of water are relished in large numbers by most fish and they are pretty easily to catch during this time by fly fishing because they are brief and the trout are not choosy when in a hurry.

The monsoon season has been good this year, but the extra water on recent burn scars has increased river runoff. This is a natural phenomena in the west, but is seen more now that houses are being built in undeveloped areas, and worse, along river banks that are inherently unstable.

Mushrooms are a bizarre and fascinating world all of their own. The range of fruits go from deadly poisonous through the whole spectrum to absolutely delicious. These are oyster mushrooms I found in the mountains. There is a lot more to their biology than the culinary arts. For the record, these are delicious.

While I would never eat any mushroom foraged in the wild, I especially would not eat one I can't identify, like this one. I still can appreciate the design and colors of this mycelium, however.

Turtles can also be a diverse and confusing group of animals. Many species are not slow or even vegetarian. The large tail seen here is a give away that this is a common snapping turtle. Their temperaments vary from timid to feisty and they should always be left alone. They are more dangerous the bigger they get. This one is likely an experienced female looking for a soft sandy bank in the sun to lay her eggs. Most turtle eggs get dug up by dogs or raccoons very soon after they are laid,

Thick weeds annoy bystanders and gardeners, but they give cover to many animals and the insects they harbor are a boon to the many small birds that are coming back to the Bosque in the autumn.

Dragonfly are around in large numbers and with great diversity. Right now their eggs have hatched and the larval stages are actively hunting in the shallow water. These underwater hunters are nowhere near as pretty as this turquoise colored adult.

In late summer we see many different crayfish species. This one is the most invasive; a Lousiana red swamp crayfish. Able to eat plants or meat, hunt or scavenge, breath in water or air they are versatile creatures that have adapted well to farming activity and a life in the ditches. They can live in both fast, or slow flowing water. They can often be seen traveling up the acequias during low flow between irrigation pulses.

Birds like this grosbeak use migration to adapt to their environment. Humans have made the migration unpredictable and stressful, with wind turbines, glass windows, and domestic cats. While some birds such as pigeons thrive, most others are facing slow declines. Hummingbirds have adapted to feeding from bird feeders, but that is because they can no longer find predictable wild flower meadows to forage in during their travel. They have become a semi-domesticated animal, just like the rock pigeons of the city.

Coyotes are certainly not domesticated everywhere. They have never been the apex predators many people think them to be. They are still actively hunted by mountain lions in the bosque but their numbers are no longer controlled by being hunted by the larger wolves. They have a very varied diet and live well with humans because they eat fallen fruits and many small mammals such as mice and gophers found around human buildings. Living in communities they use well hidden dens to raise their young. Like this one those young coyotes then spread out over the countryside, close enough to humans to be protected from other carnivores that might hunt them. They are opportunists that eat whatever is the easier to find. Don't leave pets, or pet food outside (or drinking water) and they will go somewhere else to forage.

A chrysalis like this one will overwinter and hatch as soon as the weather warms back up next spring. By overwintering, these insects are prepared to be ready extra quickly when conditions are right. This chrysalis is basically a large insect seed ready to go come spring. By mating as soon as conditions are right, they can survive harsh conditions such as human gardening practices.
 

Elevation

 Identifying animals in the bosque is like opening a set of nesting dolls. Each new observation leads to other, more nuanced observations. While going down rabbit holes is not productive in a business, or college setting, there are unexpected rewards for the receptive mind. The simple process of thinking creatively is hard to practice, yet valuable for it's own sake. Much like the study of nature.

Most tadpoles are deep black from a skin pigment. The same pigment gives bird feathers extra strength and performs a broad range of functions in humans. Melanin is apparently being produced in this tadpole (found in heavy clay substrate) as seen in the small spots along the tail, the eyes and the mouth, but the body is basically transparent, no idea why.

Even white mushrooms have the same chemical in their tissues. Chemists are learning how to produce melanin in quantity as a structural preservative for woods, and many other applications. The brown coloration in this white mushroom is from melanin, the same chemical found in my freckles.

The moisture the mountains in New Mexico have experienced this year are producing a plethora of fungi fruiting bodies called mushrooms. This is a coral fungus. apparently it is edible. Not particularly tasty according to those in the know.

The heavy weed growth that home owners so hate in Corrales is a boon to the cattle ranchers grazing on public lands in more montane areas. Cattle is a complex issue, but undeniably has a long history in New Mexico. The problem is in the conflicts with critical habitat such as that used by the New Mexico jumping mouse.

It seems odd to us to read about the violence of the "fence cutting wars" that barbed wire brought to New Mexico public lands. But echo's of the fight over land use continues today, especially between rural and urban land use.

This snake was run over by a car and then decapitated. The species is a coachwhip and no danger to humans at all. While farmers and ranchers have a reputation for snake cruelty, the fact remains that roads are by far the bigger risk to snakes and increased urbanization is leading directly to more dead snakes.

Threats to woodland can also be far more insidious. The long horn wood borer beetle is not usually a threat in a large forest, but in small areas the numbers of beetle can quickly reach numbers that will cause serious damage to a prized solitary tree in a garden.

A related beetle is this popular borer. The beetle did affect drought weakened trees the most. However, Stories of them causing actual tree death seems mostly anecdotal. This would be a woodpecker's dream meal. The flickers and woodpeckers should be returning soon as autumn draws in.

These larva cause galls along tree branches, but the tree can also shed these branches when infestation first starts, especially in the autumn. The cottonwood tolerates a wide range of organisms as  keystone species of the Bosque ecosystem.

This is a species of crescent butterfly. the commonly seen insects are starting to become smaller as the evenings become cooler. Butterflies are still quite numerous and active at the moment. Why these particular insects are so spectacular in color is a bit of a fake fact, because almost all insects are beautifully colored, if they need to be.

Like most wasps this species of narrow waisted sand wasp does not sting people as the stinger is modified from an egg laying organ and is used in this species for injecting into a paralyzed caterpillar that is stored in an underground larder.

This rather startled looking bird is a night heron, one of the harbingers of the cooler season. This usually shy bird benefits from the dense foliage to hide in during the mid day.

Adult wasps usually feed on nectar, while the grubs feed on caterpillars. This is a tarantula hawk wasp that hunts tarantulas for egg laying. It is not nearly as scary as it's reputation or name.

The grasshoppers are thriving right now and many species are growing the wings they need to begin migrations. The tiny wing cases are just visible on this insect's back.

The walking stick insect is usually common, but not seen much due to the great camouflage. When they begin migrating to different plants, they stand out against the asphalt.

Wasps can be tricky to identify because they are so diverse. This insect is clearly not a stripy murder hornet, but is actually a wasp.

This insect is actually a type of ant. The common velvet ants we see in the arroyos are actually just one of group of 150 different species and belong to daytime velvet ants. This is a male nocturnal velvet ant and looks very much like a wasp, but has the wrong shaped antennae and stiff hairs on the thorax.

This wasp looking insect is actually a black soldier fly. The adults have no mouth parts because they don't live very long. The grubs are found in compost and are considered beneficial, especially when compare to the annoying flies

mud dauber wasps put spiders in small clay pots high up under the overhangs of houses. Like most wasps they use insects to feed their young, but they themselves feed on pollen and nectar. They are pretty shy but would defend a nest aggressively.

Scorpions are rarely as dangerous as portrayed. In many parts of the world, collecting scorpions is diverting entertainment for small kids (including this one). They are docile, predictable, and their stings are no worse than that of a wasp.

This spider is some wolf spider species and much larger than the picture would suggest. Some of these arachnids hunt tarantulas that are a similar size to them. The sturdy legs suggest this is not a fast moving hunter

The narrow legs of this smaller Carolina wolf spider show it is a much faster hunter. It is common in the early fall because these spider stalk their prey in the open.

Cockroaches are synonymous with human habitation and have traveled around the globe with them. This cockroach is gradually replacing the oriental cockroach in the southwest and expanding it's range since it was first discovered in 1978 in the US.

This cicada was stung and paralyzed by a cicada killer wasp, but it was far too big for the insect to fly off with it. The wasp will likely return to try again once I have finished taking pictures.

Beetles can be impressively patterned if we take the time to get close and observe what is right under our noses. Soon enough the weather will turn colder and these creatures will vanish for months at a time. This is a bumble flower beetle.

There are also many plain butterflies, our eye is simply more likely to dwell on those that are big and brightly colored. Of which, this specimen is neither. Its name is "Least skipper"

Legume plants are a very special type that can grow in poor nitrogen soil by forming symbiosis with bacteria in their roots. The flowers are very distinctive in this family. These plants are also edible but often over looked. The family was also used by Gregor Mendel to as a model organism to begin the process of understanding DNA in the late 1800's.

Austrian Peaweed is in the legume family too. It is one of the many weed seeds that get introduced in new areas with alfalfa seeds. The bosque has a far wider range of plants than the casual observer would surmise.

Russian Knapweed is a noxious weed in the Western US that can affect horses and take over areas with vegetative growth. A pretty flower that spreads using runners instead of seeds and packs quite a chemical wallop. It is in the aster family

The sunflowers don't seem to get noticed except in late summer, where fields of planted flowers have begun to replace local U-pick chili and raspberry patches. There are farmed sunflowers, but most seen in the bosque are left over from bird feeding blends. The wild seeds attract many small birds during the winter.

Purple bindweed is another type of morning glory that is native to Texas. It goes by many names and is easily confused with other similiar types. It is reviled by many, but resists all attempts are elimination. Governmental land use guidelines only "suppress" its activity. It is a spectacularly beautiful and short lived flower. This confusion of who to identify a plant by it's usefulness is at the heart of many arguments between different land users, and different experience levels. Another layer of nesting dolls opens up when we consider how to view an organism within the existing landscape. Sunflowers are weeds, and so are morning glories. But one is a weed, and the other is not....