Pollinator Garden Plants: Catclaw Acacia Senegalia greggii (formerly Acacia greggii) is native to the southwestern united states and northern Mexico at elevations below 4500′. It’s a large thorny shrub or small tree growing to 20′ tall. Flowers are fragrant. Full to part sun, low water and hardy to 0 degrees F. Flowering Season: J F M A M J J A S O N D Sonoran Desert Native, great nectar plant, attracts native birds and super larval host plant: Mexican Yellow (Eurema mexicana) Mimosa Yellow (Eurema nise) Reakirt’s Blue (Echinargus isola) Marine Blue (Leptotes marina) Hubbard’s Small Silkmoth (Sphingicampa hubbardi) Tricolor Buckmoth (Hemileuca tricolor), Black Witch Moth (Ascalapha odorata), Owlet Moths (family Noctuidae) Mesquite Stinger Flannel Moth (Norape tenera), Naval Orange Worm Moth (Amyelois transitella) Merry Melipotis Moth (Melipotis jucunda) Common names include catclaw acacia, catclaw mesquite, Gregg’s catclaw, paradise flower, wait-a-minute bush, and wait-a-bit tree; these names mostly come from the fact that the tree has numerous hooked prickles with the shape and size of a cat‘s claw which tend to hook onto passers-by; the hooked person must stop (“wait a minute”) to remove the prickles carefully to avoid injury or shredded clothing. Wikipedia Found on flats, washes, and slopes below 5,000 ft. in California, Arizona, Nevada, Utah, New Mexico, Texas, and south into Northern Mexico Spadefoot Nursery Other Resources: Maricopa Pollinator Pathway Plant List PollinatorWeb Recommended Plants Mountain States Wholesale Nursery Add a Plant Tag to Your Space! Imagine a world where every garden, school yard, and public space becomes an immersive and educational experience. A place where nature and knowledge intertwine to create stunning interpretive trails. With a simple scan using your smartphone, you’ll unlock a whole new level of information and convenience. No more searching through countless books or websites to find details about your plants.
Glamorous Moths #7 – Pine Carpenterworm Givira lotta, the Pine Carpenterworm moth. I have a soft spot for large, fuzzy moths. This one is a member of the Carpenter and Leopard moths. From Wikipedia: The Cossidae, the cossid millers or carpenter millers, make up a family of mostly large miller moths. This family contains over 110 genera with almost 700 known species, and many more species await description. Carpenter millers are nocturnal Lepidoptera found worldwide, except the Southeast Asian subfamily Ratardinae, which is mostly active during the day. Pinned adult moth uploaded to iNaturalist.org by Ronald Parry This moth is found in California Arizona, New Mexico, and Colorado and most likely in pine forest areas of northern Mexico. Adult pine carpenterworm moth uploaded to iNaturalist.org by C Mallory Larvae feed on outer bark of ponderosa pine. I couldn’t find a caterpillar picture in this genus on iNaturalist. Here’s an example of another species in Family Cossidae. Goat Moth caterpillar uploaded by Sergey Mayorov to iNaturalist.org
Glamorous Moths #6 – Rothschildia Silk Moth Our sixth featured moth is Rothschildia cinctus. They are found from southern Arizona to Panama. Rothschildia cinctus on iNaturalist.org seen by Priscila Moreno in Tamaulipas, Mexico According to Wikipedia: Saturniinae is a subfamily of the family Saturniidae. They are commonly known as emperor moths or wild silk moths. They are easily spotted by the eyespots on the upper surface of their wings. Some exhibit realistic eye-like markings, whilst others have adapted the eyespots to form crescent moon or angular shapes or have lost their wing scales to create transparent windows. They are medium to very large moths, with adult wingspans ranging from 7.5 to 15 cm, in some cases even more. They consist of some of the largest sized Lepidoptera, such as the luna moth, atlas moth, and many more. Rothschildia prionia caterpillar (related to R cinctus) posted by alenilson on iNaturalist.org In Arizona, these silk moths use Hopseed Bush, Dodonaea viscosa, as a larval host. You can read more about this plant at Arizona Living Landscape & Design (landscapearizona.com)
Musings from an Albuquerque Pollinator Paradise If you’re reading this from New Mexico, the Valle de Oro National Wildlife Refuge Grand Opening of Visitor Center and 10th Birthday is on Saturday, September 10th, about a month away. I hope you’ll join us! It’s summer in New Mexico and it’s hot and dry. Not as hot as Phoenix, thankfully! We received nice rain in June and July to break a massive dry spell – 65% of New Mexico is classified as ‘Severe Drought’ or worse, compared with 96% 3 months ago – but I’m always hoping for more. Most days the clouds build up and merely tease us with a chance of rain. Sunflowers are thriving, so my yard (and driveway) is a beautiful mess of yellow. Prairie sunflowers, Helianthus petiolaris I’ve dedicated more time to nocturnal critters this summer. It’s super rewarding to check the porch lights for moths and find a new one. So many cool insects hang out at night if you go and look. Male Douglas Fir tussock moth, Orgyia pseudotsugata Adult Chaetoleon pusillus antlion There are plenty of diurnal critters too. Wasps (yes, wasps!) in all sizes and colors and a few new native bees for my yard list are among the highlights. It is lovely to sit outside with my camera, surrounded by nature. I enjoy watching bees collecting pollen, wasps hunting for a meal, and hummingbirds chasing each other. Iridescent female parasitic wasp, Leucospis birkmani An unexpected surprise: White-belted Ringtail dragonfly, Erpetogomphus compositus Male American sand wasp, Bembix americana Quick Biodiversity Update iNaturalist is an invaluable resource for identifying wildlife and tracking my sightings. The numbers of species from my April blog post are in parentheses. 190 butterflies and moths (59)93 flies (58)90 ‘true bugs’ [Hemiptera] (50)87 beetles (37)85 bees (75)81 wasps (45)29 spiders (21)14 antlions and lacewings [Neuroptera] (not mentioned before)3 mayflies (1)
The Desert Responds: Tadpoles and Hackberries Last Saturday marked our first significant monsoon rainfall, measuring in at 1″, and neighboring parks allow us to observe how the desert has responded. Four Days Later – Tadpoles in Temporary Ponds (Rain Pools) Although the above species has yet to be determined, tadpoles can hatch from eggs in as little as 15 hours, and develop into toads in a week. [Couch’s Spadefoot toads] Their eggs have been known to hatch in just 15 hours, and they can complete the transformation from “tadpole to hopper” in as little as a week — assuming the puddle they are deposited in lasts that long. In addition to the all-important moisture, amphibians are drawn out this time of year by another monsoon mainstay: flying ants. After a storm, Rosen said, swarms of the insects will emerge, touching off a feeding frenzy by frogs and toads. Tucson.com A number of toads and frogs call the Sonoran Desert home, including: Couch’s Spadefoot toadRed Spotted toadMexican Spadefoot toadGreat Plains toadWestern Narrow-mouthed toadSonoran Green toadSonoran toad (toxic to dogs)Woodhouse’s toadAmerican BullfrogLowland Leopard frog Spiny Hackberry Flowers Are Hard to Find, but Just Listen for the Buzz Spiny Hackberry (Celtis pallida) with Fruit Inconspicuous yellow-green flowers April-October depending on rainfall. Berries ripen July-December. The edible berries are sweet to man and birds. Hermit Thrush, Northern Cardinal, towhees, Phainopepla, Townsend’s Solitaire, Cedar Waxwing, thrashers, White-crowned Sparrow and House Finch are among the birds likely to be seen at Desert Hackberry when in fruit. Two fascinating butterflies use this plant as a larval host. The Leilia Hackberry Butterfly (Asterocampa leilia), burnt orange with black marginal spots, will almost always be found patrolling nearby up and down a wash just a few feet above the ground stopping frequently to perch on the ground. …Another butterfly that feeds on hackberry as a caterpillar is the Snout Butterfly (Libytheana bachmanii), also colored burnt orange. The adult butterflies have a long snout formed from elongated palps (mouthparts), and unlike the hackberry butterflies, are avid nectar feeders especially at Seep Baccharis. Arizonensis
Worst Months for Plants in Phoenix Although you may initially assume that the months with the hottest average temperature pose the biggest threat to plants, other factors also contribute to plant stress levels. Let’s look at a table of average weather in Phoenix: Temps of 100 plus are common June through September. July and August pose additional challenges for plants, with average nighttime lows in the 80s. Plants that use CAM respiration can struggle and growth may stop, leading to root rot. Monsoon officially starts in June, but Phoenix typically starts to benefit around mid-July. So what factors affect plant stress during the hottest months? Daytime high temperatureNighttime low temperatureHumidityRainfall June Daytime temperatures break the century mark and may even soar into the 100+ degree zone. Low humidity, lots of sun and little rain make this an extremely challenging month, especially for non-desert adapted species. Cell damage can occur at about 115 degrees for broader leafed plants under these conditions. Applying extra water during June may not cure the stress because plants are not able to function at a level where they can overcome evapotranspiration. In addition to low rainfall, deserts are characterized by a high rate of water loss from the ground (evaporation) and through plants (transpiration). Together this is called evapotranspiration. Potential evapotranspiration is the amount of water that would be lost through evaporation and transpiration if it were available.What Is a Desert – DesertUSA Protecting non-desert adapted plants with a 40% or 50% shade cloth will help, especially during the first year. Another helpful practice is to plant in fall instead of spring so there is more time for plants to get established. July The first couple of weeks can be similar to June, depending on when the Monsoon engine gets up and running. Rising humidity levels provide a break from the sun’s rays and allow plants to get a foothold against evapotranspiration. Clear dry air transmits about 90% of available sunlight to the ground on a typical desert day compared to 40% in a typical humid climate.What Is a Desert – DesertUSA Cloudy days and rainfall also provide relief for stressed plants, resulting in new growth and flowering. Nighttime temperatures may be high enough to cause issues for CAM plants, resulting in root rot – this mostly affects non-Sonoran desert plants. CAM is an adaptation for increased efficiency in the use of water, and so is typically found in plants growing in arid conditions. (CAM is found in over 99% of the known 1700 species of Cactaceae and in nearly all of the cactii producing edible fruits.)Wikipedia August Monsoon continues through August. Average rainfall and nighttime lows are similar to July and average hours of sunshine fall by about 7%. September Monsoon officially ends September 30th, so humidity, clouds and rain may benefit plants throughout the month. If the days turn arid, though, high daytime temperatures can pose issues similar to June. Average daily temperatures are down a few degrees from June/July, hours of sunshine are down about 10% and rainfall averages begin to decline.
Best Months to Observe Butterflies in Phoenix Butterflies are most active when it’s warm and when nectar sources are readily available. So what are the best months to observe butterflies in the Phoenix Sonoran Desert? In Phoenix, Queens, Fiery Skippers and Gulf Fritillaries are usually around all summer. You can expect to see a showing of butterflies in the late winter into Spring, but the biggest show often comes in the months of August, September and October. Western Pygmy Blue, Oct 25, 2021 The three popular months coincide with Phoenix Monsoon and quite a number of blooming nectar plants. Following are some observations from the 2021/2022 calendar years in Phoenix. Note that 2021 was an amazing banner year for butterflies! Some October Observations Large Orange Sulphur Monarch Painted Lady Mexican Yellow American Snout Dainty Sulphur Ceraunus Blue Orange Sulphur Western Pygmy Blue Fiery Skipper Cloudless Sulphur Great Purple Hairstreak Queen Sleepy Orange Funereal Duskywing Echo Azure Arizona Powdered Skipper Cloudless Sulphur Tiny Checkerspot (Pinal County) California Patch Empress Leilia Violet-clouded Skipper Fatal Metalmark West Coast Lady Queen Eufala Skipper Northern White Skipper Some November Observations Western Pygmy Blue Reakirt’s Blue Sleepy Orange Mexican Yellow American Lady Checkered White Orange Sulphur Dainty Sulphur Pipevine Swallowtail Painted Lady Common and White Checkered Skippers Variegated Fritillary Gray Hairstreak Queen American Lady American Snout Fiery Skipper Gulf Fritillary Gray Buckeye Monarch Red Admiral Some December Observations Painted Lady Funereal Duskywing Gulf Fritillary Monarch West Coast Lady Queen Gray Buckeye Mexican Yellow Dainty Sulphur Ceraunus Blue Some January Observations Gulf Fritillary Queen Monarch Reakirt’s Blue Queen American Snout Painted Lady West Coast Lady Some February Observations Mourning Cloak American Snout Gray Hairstreak Sleepy Orange Orange Sulphur Some March Observations Red Admiral Western Giant Swallowtail Funereal Duskywing West Coast Lady Great Purple Hairstreak Some April Observations Marine Blue Gray Buckeye Dainty Sulphur Echo Azure Sleepy Orange Common Checkered Skipper Juniper Hairstreak American Snout Painted Lady Some May Observations Cabbage White Northern White Skipper Echo Azure Pipevine Swallowtail California Patch Some June Observations Reakirt’s Blue Marine Blue Empress Leilia Ceraunus Blue Some July Observations Fiery Skipper Queen Queen Caterpillar Sleepy Orange Gulf Fritillary
Bee Flies as Pollinators Family Bombyliidae (Bee Flies): A pollinator with a bad reputation. They are among the many flies that imitate bees, bumble bees specifically. By hovering, instead of landing, they avoid many predators hiding in the flowers. Adults generally feed on nectar and pollen, some being important pollinators. Larvae generally are parasitoids of other insects, including bees. The adult females usually deposit eggs in the vicinity of possible hosts, quite often in the burrows of beetles or wasps/solitary bees. Bee flies also facilitate pollination of many species of flowering plants. It is thought they are just as efficient pollinators of some types of flowers as are the bees and they are more frequent visitors so, in the end, they may a pollinate more flowers than bees. Banded Bee Fly Genus Geron Genus Aphoebantus Genus Lepidanthrax Genus Paravilla Poecilanthrax arethusa Genus Villa Genus Anastoechus Bomber Fly Genus Lordotus Additional Resources: MetroPhoenix Ecoflora Ecoquest: Unfamiliar Pollinators US Forest Service: Bee flies Wikipedia: Bombyliidae Backyard Gardener: Bee Flies PollinatorWeb: Flies
How Many Butterfly Species Live in the Sonoran Desert? The Sonoran Desert is bounded to the north by the Mogollon Rim, to the west by the southeastern corner of California and down into Baja California, and to the south by Sonora, Mexico. Desert Museum Regional Natural History: Deserts in AZ, CA and Mexico There are over 250 species of butterflies in the Sonoran Desert. This rich butterfly diversity is due in part to the varied topography in this desert, which supports a wide variety of microclimates and plant distributions. A significant number of butterflies are influx species, meaning they enter the Sonoran Desert from other deserts, thorn scrub habitats and mountain ranges. The combination of indigenous and influx species account for the high number of species and make for great butterfly watching. Butterflies play important roles in the ecosystem. Their larval and adult forms are an important part of the food web and many help pollinate plants. Since they experience comparable environmental pressures and are easy to observe, butterflies are excellent bioindicators of environmental health. For more information, and butterfly photos: PollinatorWeb ButterfliesDesert Museum ButterfliesMcDowell Sonoran ConservancyArizonensis Sonoran Desert Lepidoptera
About Native Bees in the Sonoran Desert – Stings and Nests Most of the news goes to the Honey Bee, a non-native European import, but there are about 1,000 species of native bees in the Sonoran Desert bioregion. And unlike the general bee stereotype, most native bees are solitary and don’t produce honey. Whereas honey bees build honeycomb hives and live in large colonies, native bees, with the exception of bumble bees, are solitary and nest in the ground or in cavities like abandoned beetle holes in stems or twigs. Because most native bees are solitary, it’s up to the female bee to build and provision the nest, and if the female dies, that generation is lost. As a result, native bees do not have the luxury of putting themselves at risk, and don’t sting unless absolutely necessary. Western Honey Bee (Apis mellifera) is the most common of the 7-12 species of honey bee worldwide. It was one of the first domesticated insects. About Stings Male bees don’t sting. Surprised? I was! Stingers are actually modified ovipositors, which, once upon a time, were used by female bees to lay eggs, so only female bees can sting. (Male bees also don’t collect pollen, and this is one means of differentiating a male vs a female observation.) Honey bees (female) are the only bees that die after stinging. Native female bees don’t leave their stinger behind, so they’re free to defend themselves multiple times if required. Nesting Habits and Lending a Helping Hand in Your Garden A bee nest contains anywhere from one to several dozen nest cells. For bees that nest in the ground, a female bee digs the hole, typically in a sunny south or east patch of exposed earth. Providing patches in your garden that are away from traffic areas can provide nesting opportunities. Native bees that don’t nest in the ground take advantage of pre-existing nest cavities, including hollowed out twigs, abandoned beetle burrows, tiny holes in bricks and even abandoned snail shells. There are many ways you can help make your garden a home, for example, by leaving snags (dead trees), not removing leaf litter until late spring, or providing nest cavities made of dead wood, dead stems or brush piles. If you’re creating or modifying a pollinator garden in the low desert areas of Maricopa County and adjacent areas and want to help support native bees, a great set of guidelines and resources are provided by the Maricopa Pollinator Pathway project. Consider joining the project by adding your garden, it’s free! The Maricopa Pollinator Pathway Comprehensive Habitat FAQ is a great way to learn more about what makes a great pollinator habitat. The Xerces Society also has great information about how to support ground nesting bees, cavity nesting bees and bumble bees. Another great resource is The Bees in Your Backyard, by Joseph S. Wilson & Olivia Messinger Carril.
