Heat

 As the weather warms up, the size and diversity of insects is increasing. The reptiles are finally able to come out of their hibernation. The leaves are finally coming out on the trees. The mammals are also traveling around taking care of their business. Unfortunately some will end up under the wheels of fast moving cars on the Corrales main road.

 

 High up in the trees, the buds, seeds, flowers, and leaves are developing. Many animals are dependent on these new food sources. This porcupine is enjoying a taste of sugar and sap after a long winter of eating dry bark layers and mistletoe.

 

Most people think of bees in terms of the European honeybee hives which the US produces and ships at a rate of 100,000 to 200,000 per year, mostly from California. Most native bees are about the size of a grain of sand, and there are 4,000 species of them. Most are stingless, and cute as fuzzy heck.

This cold stunned native bee is coated in pollen from the early blooming ornamental trees. Honey bees produce honey to last the winter and survive in colonies. They are essentially a farmed species, exactly like cows.

Many moths have a thick coat and fat reserves to survive in the cold. They shiver their muscles to raise internal body heat, which goes against everything we know about insects. However, fish, snakes and even plants can do this same trick

 

 Mayflies do, indeed come out in May, but their calendars are a little mixed up. Small numbers have begun to come out now the threat of frost has passed.

 Lacewings are a carnivorous insect, like ladybugs. Their presence is a sure sign that aphids are reproducing nearby.

 

 Butterflies are very hard to photograph properly, or maybe I just don't have the patience for it. This is a mourning cloak butterfly, and is out, along with the cabbage whites and sulphurs to take advantage of flowers such as dandelion or New Mexico olive.

The flowers that dominate now are mostly purple or yellow and pretty small. Humans have bred many types of plants just for their flowers, and artificial selection has produced a lot of novelty, which humans like, especially when buying flowers. This is the flower of the golden currant.

There are many different insects called stink beetles. However, there are 30 different Eleodes beetle species found in New Mexico and they all look very similar. This one is probably Eleodes obscura.

 

 Some of the first lizards to appear in the spring are the western fence lizards, they bask in the sunlight to quickly come up to working temperature.

Their common name is "blue-belly" and April is the beginning of their breeding season. The males sport this awesome blue throat, but keep to hiding places until the competition of others forces them to become more daring.

 

 Holes and animal homes are connected. These woodpecker holes in dead wood are often enlarged and turn into homes for other species. Especially those holes that are protected from sun and rain.

 Ants appear just as the elm seeds begin to fall. The harvester ants quickly collect these. Other ants begin to milk aphids, or scavenge animal carcasses. When it has sprinkled rain, the ant holes have little cones to prevent flooding. The ant-lions also lay out their traps for any unwary ants on patrol, but have to rebuild each time it rains.

I haven't tried to separate the different birds. This is a phoebe on a common perch. It was getting hassled by the tyrant flycatchers that were nesting nearby. I have trouble telling them apart. They both feed on insects. This is made easier by the habit of insects to stay coupled for extended periods and mating in swarms.

the coopers hawks seem to be stooping on small mammals on the ditch bank, probably voles and mice. Some of the ground impacts can be fierce and the bird is often stunned for a few moments. This one has feathers in disarray as it assesses the near miss.

 

 The Jemez is still flooded as the hot temperatures partially melted the record snow pack in the mountains. Recent rescues on the Sandia mountains reinforces that message that there is still quite a bit of snow around at elevation.

I have no idea what killed this mouse and only ate the brain. I suspect it was a skunk, because I see tooth marks on the head. A domestic cat is also a likely suspect. Many people complain about the safety of small domestic pets here, even though it is the small local wildlife like mice and lizards that suffers most.

Leaves bring out the cottonwood leaf beetles. The adults are busy eating quickly as they start mating and laying eggs in time for the leafing out of the forest. they will start appearing in large numbers.

Physella acuta freshwater snails are very common and feed on decaying vegetation. They in turn are fed on by ducks, turtles, and fish. This snail is very robust and can survive punishing conditions as long as they don't last for a long time.

These snail eggs are laid in huge numbers on submerged vegetation. They dry out quickly in the sunlight but survive by being laid in mind boggling numbers.

Hummingbirds have learnt to be attracted to feeders. They catch insects and collect spider webs for their nests. They appreciate the feeders as a source of energy, and engage in fierce aerial duels to keep others away.

Whenever there is any hint of moisture in the air, the rolly-pollies start to leave their characteristic tank track markings in the dust and sand.

Muskrats and beavers have survived a lot of human assaults. They thrive despite polluted habitat, little livable space, introduced predators like dogs and cats, and vehicles. They don't have a choice, of course, but their perseverance is fascinating to watch. Other species are less lucky. Globally, 60,000 species are estimated to go extinct each year.