And to think, I used to run from bugs . . .

26 July, 2019; Vail AZ

Black light really does show the scorpions

The desert is an entirely different world at night; usually, it's so thick with bugs slapping into my face or landing on my arms, that I stay inside.  But, Phoebe needs company when she goes outside at night (the coyote howls are close, and the neighbors occasionally see bobcats) - so, I'm becoming familiar with some of my nocturnal neighbors.

This scorpion really stood out on the paver.  After taking the photo, I used the cup and some cardboard (my invasive species relocation kit) to move this guy out of the yard.  Phoebe was being a bit too curious to leave it in my yard.

Not very big - maybe 2"

More spiders . . . 

In addition to my resident Wolf Spider, I also have a smallish grey tarantula (at least I think that's what it is).  This one is very shy and as soon as the light hits it, he runs for his burrow.

All fuzzy and grey; maybe 3" including his legs

This guy was just passing through one night

Phoebe found this guy and was very interested.  Fortunately, she left it when I yelled at her and I got her into the house before taking a couple pics.  This tarantula was one of the bigger ones I've seen in Arizona - about the size of a saucer.  When I got too close, it would hop around - so after a couple of pics, I left it alone.  It was crossing my back yard like it was on a mission.

At night, there are hundreds (and more hundreds) of bugs attracted to the lights in the house

I find this understandable but kind of gross.  I feel a bit like I'm under siege.  I usually put on a porch light and then sneak Phoebe out a side door to keep too many bugs from flying into the house when I open a door.  Fortunately, they're gone in the morning.  Well, the alive ones are gone.  Every morning I use a leaf blower to clear the front and back porches from the many (this morning I counted over 100 of just one species) bug corpses.  I'm surprised that the local birds don't come and eat more of them. A yucky part of being in the desert.

I'm seeing a lot of these huge (3") crickets?, cicadas?

These big mantis's are really bright green (2") - kind of pretty

You could kiss this guy if you're looking for a very angry prince, or to get high or maybe die

Like almost everything around here, this Sonoran Desert Toad is poisonous.  According to my amphibians and reptiles book: "the largest toad in the United States, this toad secretes toxins that can cause hallucinations, paralysis, or death in dogs and other vertebrates" (I'm a vertebrate).

This young one was on my front porch when I went outside to try to get a better pic of the green mantis.  Needless to say, I was startled!!  You can see the orange bumps typical of young ones and the telltale big glands on legs and neck which distinguish it from a bullfrog.  This one was around 4-5".

The Monsoons are coming

16 July, 2019;  Vail, AZ

First, the dew point goes up

Traditionally, we need 3 days with the dew point over 50 to officially start the monsoon season.  

The day might start out sunny and clear, but then the clouds start forming up.

Then thunder and lightening; possibly rain

For several days, I had been hearing the afternoon thunder and lightening, rain all around me with maybe only a sprinkle at my house.  Then, I finally get a good little downpour.  I was so excited to see where the water would go around my new house.  So, like a good Oregonian, I was running around outside in the rain taking pictures.

The rain flows from one of my roof scuppers - I may try capturing some run-off for gardening water

  

Across the driveway

A plugged up drain - I'll deal with that soon!

And, before long, the rain passes leaving only a pretty sunset

The sunsets are always spectacular when there are clouds.  

Kissing Bug?

15 July, 2019; Vail AZ

Big Dead Bug

Sometimes, even a 1-1.5" dead bug can be of interest to me.  This one looks like it was decorated in gold leaf.  The gold just shimmers in the light.  Unfortunately, I read that Kissing Bugs can carry Chagas disease (very bad).  Then again, it could be some different bug - my wildlife identification skills are rudimentary, at best.

For the non-bug folks

I also have a couple of Cardinals who live nearby - I hear them every morning and often see them in my back yard.

The front yard is full of ground squirrels of some kind.  They are pretty shy - but this one peaked out to see how long I was going to stand around in the heat waiting to take his picture.

The prickly pear 'tuna's look just about ready to harvest for jams and jelly - I'm tempted to try but hear that it's really a lot of work to get rid of the small hairlike spines on the outside.

I'll probably just leave the tuna's to the birds and bees.  Like whoever lives in the nest in this Palo Verde!

Update: the first picture of the big bug has been identified!

And, it's not a kissing bug.  It was a Giant Mesquite Bug.  Very pretty in all it's stages of life.

Here's another picture of one.

The body, once the wings are spread, are a shiny deep blue.  Spectacular!!

Resident Varmints

12 July, 2019; Vail AZ

Seen once: Wildlife; Seen repeatedly: Individuals

The first time I saw a wolf spider in my back yard, I squealed and barely resisted the temptation to squash it.  But, every evening, I see it out hunting near it's burrow in my back yard.  We commune while Phoebe takes her last little walk before bed time.  This particular spider is now an individual; I look for it and am disappointed if I don't see it (what's next - a name?); and I worry about whether it will survive the landscaping work in the yard.

The size of a small tarantula - but I think it's a wolf spider

I have several big spiny lizards that visit my back wall during the day.  They live in the woodpiles outside my fence.  They're very shy - won't let me get very close before darting away - but, they too, have become individuals.

This spiny lizard has a blue neck and black belly; lives near the north fence

This spiny lizard lives near the west side of the fence and is more gold - no blue.

I saw this horned toad for the first time today.  It was crossing my driveway - maybe just passing through.  Very shy - it's coloring blending in so very well I almost couldn't find it again when I came back with my camera.

Only the 2nd horned toad I've seen in Arizona

 

I see painting in my future

11 July, 2019; Vail, AZ

Little girls used to live in my house!

Two of the bedrooms clearly catered to a younger aesthetic. 

A check of the carpets with a blacklight showed that the previous family also probably had some not-so-very-well house-trained dogs.  So, the carpets in all the bedrooms will be replaced by tile (also because of my own not-so-very-well house-trained dog!).

So, one of my first projects was to remove all the baseboards from the bedrooms.  

And, of course, that uncovered more termite damage, which had to be addressed.  The termite guys will probably have to come back after the carpets come up - I'm discovering that termites are just part of home ownership down here.

Baseboards ready for re-furbishing; except for the termite riddled ones!

Prep work for painting always takes the most time!  Now, that I've got most of it done, I can start priming.  And, pretty soon, I'll need to figure out the new colors - fun, but fraught.

Yay - lavender going away!

Phoebe supervising and, thankfully, not tracking paint around.

Reward at the end of the day

Is it any surprise?!

10 July, 2019; Vail AZ

I succumb to the appeal of the Sonoran Desert!

I got the house keys on May 15

The desert is very beautiful in springtime!

I buy a house in the middle of it all

I knew that after 3 years of full-timing, my 'requirements' for a new home would be very different from my last home.  I need a feeling of space, privacy, desert views, and lots of outdoor living space; Also, an ice maker, full size bathroom and kitchen (my realtor laughed at these requests!).

I found it all on just under 1 acre of Sonoran Desert southeast of Tucson AZ.  Lots of projects - but at the end of the day I watch the sunset over the nearby Rincon Mountain Range; or, take a dip in the pool!  In the mornings, I drink coffee and watch bunnies, ground squirrels, quail, lizards, roadrunners etc wander around the front yard.

Currently, I'm 'camping out' in my new house.  I have projects to complete before I arrange for the contents of my storage unit in Oregon to be shipped down here (or I drive it down - haven't decided yet).  

Gila Monster in my driveway

I have several Spiny Lizards that share the property

The sunsets are lovely

Phoebe is getting the lay of the land

Roadrunners zoom thru on a regular basis

I think this big guy is a Palo Verde Bug

I'm getting to know some of my other 'neighbors'.  A huge coyote followed us for awhile on a walk recently - staring speculatively at Phoebe (I now carry a heavy walking stick on our evening walks).

As Phoebe takes care of business on her before-bedtime outing, I regularly commune with my resident wolf spider - outside of it's burrow every night.  I've watched several families of Gambel Quail as they herd their little one's around - from the tiny puff balls my friends call 'tater tots', to adolescents, they amuse me and frustrate Phoebe - they're always just out of reach.

So far, I've only seen one snake on my property - a good one hiding in the pack rat trap outside my fence.  It was re-homed a little further away from the fence.

I'm loving it here!

I still plan on traveling a bit - but I'll be reversing the timing.  I'll still winter in the southwest (in the house), but plan on traveling during the hottest months of the Tucson summer - I have some ideas for trips thru Canada and the northern states.  Who knows where the hot summer monsoons will blow me.