Right Brain Right Lane : More Wildlife: big and small

4 Aug, 2019; Vail AZ

Monsoons bring migrations for some; end-of-life for others.

The Giant Mesquite Bug is nearing the end of it's lifespan after laying eggs in the mesquite's for next year. I'm finding them more frequently these days. They are so spectacular - hope to see one alive someday!!

I love the deep blue beneath those shiny gold-leafed wings!

Male tarantulas are migrating through the area. I've seen two - but, haven't seen them hanging around the female tarantula who lives in a burrow in my back yard. Is she not desirable? a different kind of tarantula? chasing them away? who knows . . .

Big male, rested briefly on my front porch one recent evening, and then wandered off.

If only he'd gone into the backyard, maybe he could have hooked up with this female hanging out by her burrow.

Everyone takes a siesta down here

Even when the monsoons cool down the temps a bit - it's hot. The bunnies, and even Phoebe, dig shallow wallows in the dirt and rest for a bit in the hottest part of the day (well, usually Phoebe is inside in the AC, but if I'm in the pool, she digs a cool spot).

I looked out my kitchen window a couple of days ago and spied this tiny little baby Spiny Lizard. The Spiny Lizard is the biggest lizard I've seen in my neighborhood; so, it was a lot of fun to see this miniature version!

The rock is only a couple inches across - just a baby lizard!!

I want to take out most of the boring yucca and prickly pear in my front yard and replace it with interesting, more colorful native cacti. But, I keep finding reasons to not disturb the current landscape. One of the big mounds of yucca hides the home of a couple big Spiny Lizards; I already took away the pile of mesquite branches that one of them was living in - and, I haven't seen him since (he had been a regular visitor, sunning on my back fence).

This ground squirrel has a hole at the base of one of my boring prickly pears; I'm afraid that if I take the cactus out, I'll lose the squirrel.

And, finally, I see some Javelina!!

I've been wanting to see some bigger mammals (I've only seen a couple coyotes; no bobcats yet), and yesterday, I got my wish.

I was sitting outside in the early morning having coffee when Phoebe suddenly alerted to something outside my back fence. I grabbed my camera and tore over to take a look. 6 Javelina (including 2 babies) were slowly making their way around the fence line. They didn't panic as I followed them around and tried to get some pics - but, they kept up a pace, so I had to be satisfied with some fuzzy shots and some butt shots. But, happy I am to have seen them; Hopefully, they'll be by here again.

Phoebe was beside herself excited; I didn't know she could jump so high as she leaped into the air trying to catch sight of them.