Rise

 New Mexico really doesn't get enough credit for the amount of sheer biodiversity there is in this state. We are listed as fourth most biodiverse state (second most diverse for birds, third most for reptiles).

This means many generalizations made by people from the more populous east coast states, do not apply to New Mexico. For example, wasp species east of the Mississippi are less diverse, and more likely to sting as a defense (in part because aggressive species have adapted well to human habitation.) It is actually rare to find a wasp in New Mexico that stings as a defense because most native species do not need to defend their space so much. This thread waisted wasp was caterpillar hunting and is one of the insects instrumental in keeping bagworm populations down.

Diversity thrives where there are boundaries between ecosystems. Here, there are large sand dunes, where last year there was low lying mud flats. The high water levels this spring moved a lot of material along the river, changing the landscape drastically. The sandy area is a haven for the new woodhouse toads, that can tolerate the high temperatures by burrowing into the loose sand during the day.

The interior ditch levels rise and fall according to the river levels or the irrigation schedule. This common snapping turtle relies on the variation to hunt floundering fish who get caught high and dry. While it can be a hunter, scavenging is a more productive lifestyle right now.

Many insects come out during the summer, but so do their predators. This Virginia tiger moth uses sharp spines to not only poke predators with venom, but also ward off probing ants. It also proves excellent camouflage when the caterpillar is feeding among tall wheat stems.

 

Moths are camouflage masters when they are grown as well. This mating pair are perfectly hidden by the pink of scarlet bee blossoms. Other moths can look just like leaves, bark, or even bird droppings.

There are many predators of insects out there. In the cattails and wetlands most predators come from other insects, such as this dragonfly

 

The reason for bright colors and vivid markings depends on context, this orbweaver is very distinctive and not trying to hide. Why it has these specific markings and colors is still a bit of a mystery.

Scorpions do not use fancy colors or strange marks. However, they fluoresce under UV light and whether there is a reason for that is also bit of a mystery as is the reason this it is missing it's stinger. These distant cousins to both insects and spiders are usually found in the sandy and drier parts of Corrales.

Cottonwoods are well known for growing fast, not living long, and for dropping limbs. The older trees are capable of withstanding a lot of punishment from insects, people, and infections or infestations of many types.

This famous tree on Corrales road at the south end appears to be re-sprouting again after being cut down due to rot, causing a possible risk to traffic. To say the action was controversial is to under state things. I don't think it's slow regrowth will attract as much attention.

This elm seedling is growing in the crevice of an old cottonwood. This is a common method of tree growth in other, more boreal types of forests where mulch and decay is more common, but the competition for sunlight is fiercer so seedling that can grow higher up have an evolutionary advantage.

This is a bit of poor shot of a Danaus species of butterfly. Probably the Queen butterfly rather than the more famous Monarch, (other tiger milkweed species are Duke's and King's). They look similar but are a bit smaller and more orange/yellow.

 

The Mississippi kite is pretty famous for being an insectivore, and the emergence of cicadas and june bugs (with a shout out to Corrales' own Guy Clark) probably explains the recent rash of sightings. This one has a regular perch at the end of Andrew's Lane. Don't worry, this species is not after your small dogs!

 The blue grosbeak is a seed eating bird that I do not often see in the bosque. The grasses are producing their seeds a large variety, and many people have removed their bird feeders due to fears of avian flu, so many birds are dispersed as the look for food sources.

The tomato hornworm has a fearsome terminal "horn" that is purely for show. The caterpillars grow at a rapid pace on any of the nightshade family plants. This one is being recycled by ants, they are also parasitized by wasps.

There are many causes of death in the bosque. While avian flu is a concern, I'm pretty sure many young birds are hit by cars and hosue windows as they learn to navigate their new world. The bosque does not have many domestic cats in it, but the ones that are around have an outsized impact on bird deaths.

Many fish are adapted to exploiting a flooded forest, like these northern bullhead. As long as the water level rises and falls, and there is mud to burrow in, most adapt well. However, many also become trapped and die, like this pair, who gave birth just before they suffocated. The fish fry escaped subsequently as the irrigation ditch filled again.

This appears to be a fledgling coopers hawk that died next to a road way and probably was also hit by a passing car. While its death is tragic, coopers hawks are one those birds that are thriving near humans due to the number of bird feeders that concentrate their small bird prey. They can also tolerate noise and disruption, and a wide variety of habitats. While diversity is certainly diminished in urban settings, the ecosystem is clearly adapting to humans, at the cost of weeding out those young animals that cannot learn to cope with this brave new world we have created.