Insects – a curious nature

Black-tailed Jackrabbit – Page 17 .. The 100 Day Project (2026)

August 24, 2026

Black-tailed Jackrabbit (Lepus californicus)

—aka—

American Desert Hare, Jackass Rabbit

One of the largest hares in North American, the Black-tailed jackrabbit can grow up to 2 feet long and weigh from 3 to 6 pounds. In our neighborhood this is certainly true! We always love when these big hares move around our home, even if Luna is always keen to chase them away! This past spring a litter of four young Black-tailed jackrabbits (called leverets) spent a few weeks of their lives playing tag with each other around our gravel driveway and under the adjacent pinyon, juniper, oak, and mahogany. They seemed oblivious to our gawking and to Luna’s whining. Their comically clumsy antics were so funny to watch; we could count on a great show every day — either early in the morning or just before sunset. Then one day they were gone! For a week afterwards, we’d occasionally see them moving together through the subdivision ….. bounding after each other as they playing hide-n-seek. The last time we spotted them as a group was heading up towards our big community hilltop water tank. I like to think those now grown-up hares still come by the house once in a while to grab a bite to eat and say “Hi.” Who knows, they’re probably making babies of their own!

Here’s some things about Black-tailed jackrabbits you may not have known. All of the following was definitely new to me.

Population densities: The Black-tailed jackrabbit is a very common hare living in the western U.S. and Mexico. Their population densities typically range from fewer than 25 (when habitat conditions are poor) to nearly 500 animals per square mile (/mi²) (during peak years). You can count on numbers fluctuating every 6-10 years due to food supply, weather and disease. The New Mexico State University Extension Service reported when rangelands heavily infested with hundreds of hares/mi², compete significantly with livestock for forage.

Habitat consisting of a mosaic of mixed-forbs, grasslands and shrubs are occupied by Black-tailed jackrabbits at elevations from sea level up to 10,000 ft. Because they don’t migrate (or hibernate) during winter, these hares use the same habitat within a 0.4–1.2 mi² area year-round. Preferred habitat provides not only food, but shelter and cover.

One of the four of our young spring black-tailed jackrabbits – a *leveret*

Common habitat types include sagebrush, creosote bush and other desert shrub lands; Palouse, shortgrass and mixed-grass prairies; desert grasslands, open-canopy chaparral; oak and pinyon/juniper woodlands; early serial stage low- to mid-elevation coniferous forests. They are also common in and near crop lands — especially alfalfa.

Diet is composed of various shrubs, small trees, grasses, and forbs. Shrubs generally make up the bulk of fall and winter diets; grasses and forbs are eaten in spring and early summer. This pattern and plant species varies with climate.

Breeding, depending on location, typically peaks in spring, but may continue year-round in warm climates. The breeding season is variable depending upon latitude and environmental factors. In the northern part of their range (Idaho), Black-tailed jackrabbits breed from February through May. In Utah, they breed from January through July (over 75% of females are pregnant by April). The Kansas breeding season extends from January to August. Two peak breeding seasons corresponding to rainfall patterns and growth of young vegetation occur in California, Arizona and New Mexico. In Arizona, breeding peaks during winter (January–March) rains and again during June monsoons.

Two more of the four spring leverets – something has their attention off to their left

Birth: The female (doe) about to give birth doesn’t prepare an elaborate nest. She drops her young (leverets) in shallow excavations called forms that are no more than a few centimeters deep. The doe may line her form with fur prior to giving birth, but some just use existing depressions on the ground with no further preparation.

Young (leverets) are born fully furred with eyes open; are well camouflaged and mobile within minutes of birth. As all mothers (does) are inattentive (she gives birth and leaves them alone) the ability of leverets to hit-the-ground-running within minutes of delivery works perfectly for her once-a-day nursing schedule! The average litter size is around four, but may be as low as two and as high as eight in warm regions.

Leverets leave their birth form to find their own individual hiding spots just 2-3 days after they are born. They typically sit very still during the day, until it’s time to rejoin their mother and litter mates when she’s ready to nurse (either at dawn or dusk). Nursing occurs over a period of about 4-5 weeks until the leverets are fully weened.

Prey species: Black-tailed jackrabbits are an important prey species for raptors and carnivorous mammals, such as eagles, hawks, owls, coyotes, foxes, and wild cats. Rattlesnakes and bull snakes prey on the young hares, as do raccoons and striped skunks.

Parasites hosted by the hares include fleas, ticks, lice and mites; trematodes, crestodes, nematodes and botfly larvae are also found internally. Diseases affecting Black-tailed jackrabbits in the West are tularemia, equine encephalitis, brucellosis, Q fever and Rocky Mountain spotted fever. Jackrabbits infected with tularemia die very quickly.

A Cautionary Note: The high prevalence of parasites and disease in wild jackrabbits affects human predation. As a result, many hunters will not collect the hares they shoot. Those who do are well-advised to wear gloves if handling carcasses and, if intended as food, should cook the meat thoroughly to avoid contracting tularemia. Most jackrabbit hunting is done for pest control or sport.

Etymology

Scientific name: Lepus californicus, translates directly from the classic Latin word Lepus for “hare” — and californicus, a new Latin suffix and geographic identifier meaning “of or from California”, which indicates the region where the type specimen was first documented.

The Common name: “Black-tailed jackrabbit” is really a misnomer. Even though these plant-eating mammals look similar to true rabbits, taxonomically are actually hares. (This got me wondering what exactly are the differences between rabbits and hares —so I made the following table comparing the two.) …… And now, back to the common name “Black-tailed jackrabbit.”

“Black-tailed” —— named, of course, for their black tail.

“Jackrabbit” —— this name is a more modern version of the mid-19th-century term “jackass rabbit,” given by early settlers who compared the animal’s very long ears to those of a donkey. You’ve got to admit, there is a lot of similarity in ear size!

And that’s all for now, folks!

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Do you live in a neighborhood with Black-tailed jackrabbits? If so, let me know!

‘Hopping’ you found this interesting!

As always, thanks for bounding by!

References: britannica.com; extension.nmsu.edu; iNaturalist.org; nationalgeographic.com; wikipedia.org

Ladder-backed Woodpecker – Page 15 .. The 100 Day Project (2026)

August 10, 2026

Ladder-backed Woodpecker (Dryobates scalaris)

aka Cactus Woodpecker (Dryobates scalaris cactophilus)

Such dashing little birds, Ladder-backed Woodpeckers are fairly common along the trails of the Albuquerque foothills, easily spotted as they fly from one prickly cholla to another. They feed on insects living under the leather-like hide of the cactus’ trunks, somehow avoiding getting speared by thorns. Ladder-backed Woodpeckers are also at home among our neighborhood stands of pinyon pine and oak. For several years I’ve heard their high-pitched “Peek” call as they fly amongst the trees, but hadn’t caught a glimpse of one to confirm a sighting ….. until this summer!

While walking into the back yard one day I came to an abrupt stop at the gate. A mere 20 feet to my right came a “Peek” call —- and then another “Peek.” Turning only my head, ever so slowly, in the direction of that familiar call, I saw a male Ladder-backed Woodpecker creeping up and around the 5 foot tall vertical flower stalk of a mullein plant (Verbascum thapsus) growing along the fence line. And not 1 foot away from him was his partner busy working her way up another mullein flower stalk. They were both so intent on drilling into bug-filled seed pods, they seemed not to notice me! Here was my Ladder-backed Woodpecker confirmation!

After watching their activity for 10 minutes or so, I tip-toed away to fetch Roy and my camera, confident the birds had enough seed pods to keep them busy. Upon our return, they were still excitedly feasting and calling to each other, and I was able to capture a few dozen photos.

Like clockwork, the pair returned every day for a week! It was such a joy to watch them both ….. mostly they got along — like a newlywed couple. But there were times ….. like when one or the other of them dared to feed from the same mullein flower stalk, at the same time! Quite a squabble took place; both birds shouting rapid-fire “PEEK – PEEK” with wings wildly flapping all while they hitched themselves up and around the stalk to the very tip! Peace returned by default when the first bird reaching the top ran out of flower stalk, and surrendered to their mate by flying away to another mullein. Because there were only a few mullein plants with a supply of delicious bugs, competition and arguments between the two birds was frequent. But I never knew who the winner would be until each round was won.

A Bit About Looks

Ladder-backed Woodpeckers have a square head, a small but straight chisel-like bill, short neck, and stiff tail that they lean against for support. Both sexes are 6.3 – 7.1 inches long and have a 13 inch wingspan. Color-wise, they are black-and-white above arranged in neat stripes like ladder rungs on their backs, and a more checkered pattern on their wings. Underparts are buffy white or grayish, stippled with black. Their buffy white face is broken by black lines that extend from the bill and eye and join at the neck. Males have mostly red crowns from their eyes to back of the head; females have blackish crowns with a buffy patch in front of the eyes.

A female Ladder-backed probing a mullein flower bud for insects.

A Bit About Behaviors

Usually staying hidden by foliage, Ladder-backed Woodpeckers are readily detected by their “Peek” calls or rapid drumming on trees while searching for food. As they move about from tree-to-tree, you’ll notice their short duration flight pattern is rapid and undulating. Breeding pairs of this woodpecker form or re-form in winter or early spring.

A Bit About Foraging, Diet and Related Behaviors

Like most woodpecker species, the Ladder-backed male typically forages on tree branches and trunks; females forage on smaller plants and bushes. They find insects by pecking, picking, probing, prying, gleaning, flicking, or tapping their bill at bark or other spots that might be hiding insects. Ladder-backed Woodpeckers can be quite acrobatic, twisting and turning, balancing with the wings open, and hanging upside down in pursuit of food as they hitch and hop upwards on a tree or other plant. Their ability to prop themselves in any position on just about any plant to feed is due to their stiff tails and agile feet.

A male Ladder-backed drilling furiously into a mullein flower bud. The birds make lasting holes in the buds as they open the sepals in search of insects.

Although Ladder-backed Woodpeckers eat mostly insect larvae, they do eat some adult insects. Prey include wood-boring beetles, leaf worms, ants, caterpillars, and true bugs (hemipterans). Occasionally they will eat cactus fruit.

Unlike larger woodpecker species, the Ladder-backed rarely digs deep into the wood, they do not cache (store) food or capture flying insects in midair. They rarely feed on the ground.

A Bit About Range and Habitat

Ladder-backed Woodpeckers are permanent residents (not migratory) within their range which includes: central and eastern parts of NM through extreme southeast CO; southern, western and northwestern AZ; extreme eastern and northeastern tip of the TX panhandle; extreme southeast CA. Ladder-backed Woodpeckers are found throughout most of Mexico and in parts of Central America.

Typically, these woodpeckers live in very dry habitats such as deserts, desert scrub, thorn forest, and pinyon-juniper woodlands from the lowest elevations up to about 7,600 feet.

A Tiny Bit of Fun Facts

Like most woodpeckers, the Ladder-backed have their four toes arranged in an X-pattern, with two set forward and two backward (known as “zygodactyl”). This adaptation allows them to cling to vertical surfaces and even upside down on horizontal surfaces more easily and firmly than perching birds (which have three toes set forward and one backward).

A male Ladder-backed showing how his X-shaped or Zygodactyl toe arrangement and stiff tail allows him to cling and prop against this vertical mullein flower stalk.

The oldest known Ladder-backed Woodpecker was a male who was at least 4 years, 6 months old when caught and released in Texas.

A Bit About Common Names

The “Ladder-backed” name comes from the pattern of black-and-white markings climbing the bird’s back in neat stripes like ladder rungs, all the way up to the base of their heads.

The “Cactus Woodpecker” (D. s. cactophilus) is an old name for a subspecies of the Ladder-backed Woodpecker that inhabits the southwestern United States and adjacent Mexico. Calling them “Cactus Woodpecker” was fitting as they frequently forage on and nest in various species of cacti.

A Bit About Scientific Names – Etymology

Dryobates scalaris and Dryobates scalaris cactophilus

The genus Dryobates, named by the German naturalist Friedrich Boise in 1826, is from the Greek compound word δρυο-βάτης : ‘woodland walker’; from δρυο (-drus) meaning “woodland,” and βάτης (-bátēs) meaning “walker.”

The species scalaris comes from Latin, meaning “of or pertaining to a ladder” or “a flight of steps.”

The subspecies cactophilus was likely a slight misspelling of cactophily (or cactophile/cactophilic). Breaking down cactophily (cacto– and –phily), you have something with an affinity for or specialization in cacti. More precisely, cacto- is from the Neo-Latin noun for cactus, which derived originally from the Ancient Greek kaktos, a term used by Theophrastus to describe a kind of thorny thistle. And -phily is derived from the Ancient Greek suffix -philia meaning love, fondness, affinity, or a tendency toward something.

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Hope you found this interesting!

I’d love to know what woodpeckers visit your neighborhood.

As always, thanks for stopping by!

References

allaboutbirds.org

audubon.org

iNaturalist.org

It’s National Coloring Book Day!

August 2, 2026

Who doesn’t remember coloring as a kid? Not only on brilliant bright white walls (haha!) but especially in a favorite coloring book. An activity that’s been popular with children for decades, adult coloring became a “thing” in the early 1960s. Anyone taking the time to color, find it fun and often educational. But the subtle benefits of coloring for both children and adults go much deeper.

Origin of National Coloring Book Day – Founded in 1941, Dover Publications, a company that’s been publishing adult coloring books since 1970, declared a National Coloring Book Day in May 2015. Taking their lead, and to make the day official, the Registrar at National Day Calendar declared National Coloring Book Day to be observed annually on August 2nd.

Zentangle patterns: Barrel Roll, Diva Dance, Aura-Leah, Zinger, Fescue, Droopy, BugZen, Floral Waves

History of Coloring Books

The year was 1879 when the first-of-its-kind “coloring book,” The Little Folks’ Painting Book, was published by McLoughlin Brothers (today known as the Milton Bradley Company). This book, meant to be painted with watercolors, became very popular — so much so that during the 1880s-1920s, educators and illustrators created a flurry of drawings for many more painting books that everyone could afford, not just the rich. These books, illustrating a wide range of topics, was a way to democratize art by making art available to all and encouraging artistic creativity, especially among children.

Of course there were other pioneers in painting books, such as including Louis Prang¹ (I still have my first set of Prang watercolors!) and Richard F. Outcault² (of Buster Brown fame).

Enter the Crayon! – Even after wax crayons were mass-produced in 1903 (read about the fascinating history of crayons in my 2024 post Happy National Crayon Day), the painting books were still largely designed to be painted. The transition of painting books to coloring books finally happened between the 1930s and 1940s, although the books were still designed to be painted as well as colored. This period of time is usually referred to as the golden age of childhood coloring.

Zentangle patterns: Wob, Brizas, Ribbon’nu, Chatoo, Zaon, Wevo, Sprang, Grass Border

Make Way Kids! – In 1961, adult coloring books became a cultural phenomenon with the release of The Executive Coloring Book, a satirical guide meant to mock corporate conformity. This somewhat controversial coloring book paved the way for the massive obsession with adult coloring books in the 2010s.

Learning Through Coloring – A picture is worth a thousand words! Since the 1980s, several publishers have produced educational coloring books intended for studying graduate-level topics like anatomy and physiology. This approach for teaching complicated subjects uses color-coding of highly detailed diagrams as a learning aid. Examples include The Anatomy Coloring Book, and others in the series covering topics in zoology, biology, human evolution, and botany. These coloring books and countless others specializing in educating people of all ages often have textbook quality descriptions accompanying each image.

Coloring as Meditation, and Other Benefits – It’s long been known that the practice of coloring in a coloring book, is a great way to relax, reduce anxiety and stress, and release your inner child in ways similar to meditation. Coloring helps create focus, and can develop fine motor skills and vision. Coloring books are often used as tools in rehabilitation of accident victims to aid recovery of hand-eye coordination. They are used with autistic children both for entertainment and for their soothing effect. Coloring books are also used to reduce the trauma of hospitalized children by explaining complicated medical conditions and/or their upcoming surgical procedure.

Zentangle patterns: Trimond, Fandance, Aleuba, Canyon, Sage, Aztoo, Spoon Flower, Coyfish

How to Observe National Coloring Book Day

With so many colors and designs to choose from, coloring books offers enjoyment in so many settings, especially since they’re portable and come in a variety of sizes.

Take coloring books on vacation with you for rainy days or to document a fun memory.
Coloring books make great gifts any time of year. When someone visits, be sure to leave a coloring book and colors in the guest room for downtime. At the office, keep a variety of books in the breakroom for co-workers to fill up.
Find a coloring party near you or participate online.
Spend some time coloring with your friends, children, or grandchildren or by yourself. Enjoy the creativity of making a picture come to life.
Download the official #NationalColoringBookDay 2021 color page.
Download Dover’s 12-page mini-coloring book, “National Coloring Book Day (2026)”

Zentangle patterns: Ying, Safflower, Eddyper, Lui-laa, Moonpie, Osoo, Amun, Fragment, Sylver, Trumpits, Bee-D

Next Steps – To get your National Coloring Book Day celebration off to a fun start, you’re invited to:

pick one (or all) of my illustrations to download and print — or create your own;
color it (them) with any single or combination of media you like or have never used before. Try watercolor with colored pencil. How about watercolor pencil! Use colorful ink markers for a vibrant effect. Choose pastels or even pan pastels, or both. Water soluble inks or tinted graphite might be your cuppa tea;
share your colored page(s) with me by emailing barb.masinton@gmail.com so I can post them on my blog (if you give me permission) AND/OR share your page(s) on social media – tagging #NationalColoringBookDay (keep following my blog to see how my colored pages turn out);
add a comment to my post letting me know if you accepted my invitation and describe your experience … did you realize any of the benefits of coloring described in my post? Most of all, did you have fun?

Happy National Coloring Book Day!

¹Louis Prang (1824 – 1909), often referred to as the “Father of the American Christmas Card,” was a German-American printer whose goal was that every child have access to safe art tools. He created Prang watercolors in 1856 — affordable, non-toxic, moist pan watercolor sets designed specifically for public school student art education. As the founder of the Prang Educational Company in 1882, he supplied classrooms with all sorts of art supplies, launched art textbooks, and developed the Prang Method of instruction in the 1870s and 1880s. The American Crayon Company acquired Prang’s art lines in 1909, eventually becoming part of Dixon Ticonderoga.

My first watercolor set …. Long, long …… long ago!

Inside my Prang watercolor set — the original pans but not the original brush (which wore out years ago).

² Richard F. Outcault (1863 – 1928) was an American cartoonist who pioneered the modern comic strip. Creator of the character Buster Brown and his dog Tige, Outcault authored Buster’s Paint Book in 1907, launching a trend in using coloring books to advertise a wide variety of products, including coffee and pianos. In the early 1900s, Outcault licensed the name “Buster Brown” for use in a wide number of consumer products, including children’s shoes manufactured by the Brown Shoe Company (today known as Caleres, owner of Famous Footwear, Naturalizer, Dr. Scholl’s comfort shoes and a long list of luxury and athletic brands). Since 1904, the “Buster Brown” character and Tige have been Company mascots, appearing in television commercials (1940s and ‘50s) and in comics advertising their shoes. Both Buster Brown and Tige were revived with an updated, more contemporary look for a brief advertising campaign in the 1980s and 1990s.

House Finch – Page 14 .. The 100 Day Project (2026)

July 14, 2026

House Finch (Haemorhous mexicanus ssp. frontalis)

aka Common House Finch

More than likely you’ve seen the sparrow-sized House Finch if you live almost anywhere in the U.S., southern Canada, or Mexico. The males are particularly showy with their bright red heads, throats and breasts, and their bouncy flight is sure to catch your attention. Just filling a backyard bird feeder with black oil sunflower seeds can bring a flock of 50 House Finches in to feast. They tend to dominate their favorite feeders, often chasing off competitors, after which you’ll have plenty of time to observe these finches as they sit still while shelling seeds by rapidly biting and crushing them with their large beaks.

If you aren’t familiar with House Finches, you’ve probably heard their long, twittering song, which they belt out in most neighborhoods from coast to coast. Their song, so full of excitement and energy, is usually sung from the top branch of a tall juniper or pinyon pine tree. House Finches seem to be pleading urgently for attention by clearly singing, “Talk to me PLEASE, isn’t anybody THERE!!” (At least that’s what I hear over and over again first thing every morning throughout the Spring and Summer!)

Not knowing how many broods have been reared this year, to date, it seems like we’ve enjoyed a large number of family groups around the house. Fledglings are fun to watch in flight as they constantly chase adults to beg for food. These futile attempts for free handouts strengthens their wing muscles and hones their acrobatic skills. Usually defeated, these novice students soon land in a tree and begin a long, hard practice session to learn their parents’ complex song.

Completely exhausted, they will return to a certain cholla and the nest where the adult female fed and defended them as nestlings during the first 12-20 days of their lives. Finding even one of their well-hidden nests in any of those 4 to 7 foot tall cactus “trees” is quite the prickly endeavor! Even knowing how to recognize a House Finch nest hasn’t prevented me from experiencing plentiful and painful spiny jabs. What an excellent defensive location our local birds choose for nesting.

The Nest and Nesting Habits

In as little as two days, the female builds a cup-shaped nest made of fine stems, leaves, rootlets, thin twigs, string, wool, and feathers, with similar, but finer materials for the lining. This sturdy nest, durable enough to raise up to six broods a season, measures 3-7 inches wide; the inside cup is 1-3 inches across and up to 2 inches deep.

House Finches usually build their nests in cavities in deciduous and coniferous trees, on cactus and rocky ledges, and in or on buildings using sites like vents, ledges, street lamps, ivy, and hanging planters. They will also claim nests abandoned by other birds.

A western House Finch is likely to build its nest within 60 feet of where it was the previous breeding season; eastern birds choose sites more than half a mile away from prior nests. Despite these differing habits, all nest sites have a few things in common: a sturdy base and a roof-like overhang to shelter against sun and rain.

House Finch Facts

With over 40 million House Finches across North America, they are currently one of the most widespread and common bird species across the United States, second only to the American goldfinch.
Native to the Southwest U.S. and Mexico, in 1939 a few House Finches captured in Santa Barbara, California, were sold to a New York City pet store owner as “Hollywood Birds.” Even back then, the sale of these birds was recognized as illegal under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918. To avoid prosecution under the Act, the pet store owner released the finches …. they were set free on New York’s Long Island. By the early 1940s wild nests were discovered on Long Island, and from there the spread continued.
Sometime before 1870, House Finches were introduced to Oahu from San Francisco. By 1901, they had become abundant on all the major Hawaiian Islands.
Where House Finches are an introduced species, they are considered naturalized ¹. They’re also considered an invasive species in some places, largely in unforested lands across the eastern U.S. where they’ve displaced the native purple finch (and even the non-native house sparrow!).
In their native range in the Southwest U.S. and Mexico, House Finches live in desert, grassland, shrubland, and open woodland environments, as well as near human dwellings and cities. The biggest House Finch flocks in the East are found in cities, and it’s much more common to find the eastern birds in habitats developed by people than anywhere else.
Depending on where they live, House Finches can appear very different. Within the 11 officially recognized subspecies, body size, beak size and shape, wing length, tail length, and coloring can all vary regionally. For example, the northeastern migratory populations have longer and more pointed wings better suited for longer flights than the western finches which tend to be permanent, year-round residents. Also, House Finches on Guadalupe Island off the coast of Baja California, Mexico, have heftier beaks than mainland birds.
The bright red (and sometimes orange or yellow) plumage on the head, throat and chest of mature House Finch males comes from compounds in their food (bird species are unable to produce red or yellow other than by diet). These pigments, called carotenoids (the same ones found in carrots and tomatoes), come from the berries and other fruits they eat. Females prefer mates with the biggest and brightest red-colored patches — a sign of a well-fed male.
House Finches are among the strictest avian vegetarians: seeds, buds, fruit, and foliage comprise 97% of their year-round diet. Most seed-eating birds not only eat insects in the spring and summer when they are abundant, but will feed bugs to their nestlings to add protein for growth. Except for the occasional fly larva, House Finches stick to a vegetarian diet.
Dealing with a pandemic for decades, these birds suffer from “House Finch Eye Disease,” a form of conjunctivitis that was first detected in Washington D.C. in the winter of 1994. Since then, the bacterial illness has expanded continent-wide causing big declines in House Finch numbers. Infected birds often have swollen or reddened eyes and may appear inactive or confused. Over time, it leads to birds becoming blind, disoriented, and vulnerable to predators. Other finch species, such as the American Goldfinch, are also affected. Because the disease is spread through social contact, it’s very important to keep bird feeders and baths clean.
The mite, Pellonyssus reedi, is often found on House Finch nestlings, particularly later in the season. However, the adult female has a clever strategy in response to these often fatal attacks. Since male chicks are more vulnerable to a mite outbreak, she will lay eggs containing females first to reduce the length of time male chicks are exposed to mites. This strategy increases the likelihood that representative numbers of both sexes will survive.

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Share stories of your local House Finches!

Hope you found this interesting!

As always, thanks for stopping by!

¹ A species is considered “naturalized” if it didn’t originally evolve in an area but has successfully adapted, established a permanent population, and is reproducing independently in the wild. These species are non-native, surviving without human help. Note: not all naturalized species are considered invasive.

References

allaboutbirds.org

audubon.org

iNaturalist.org

Lanceolated Chafer- Page 13 .. The 100 Day Project (2026)

July 9, 2026

Lanceolated Chafer (Phyllophaga lanceolata)

(syn Melolontha lanceolata)

aka Brown Scarab Beetle, May (June) Beetle

The Lanceolated Chafer (Phyllophaga lanceolata) is a scarab beetle native to North America. In New Mexico (along with Colorado and Kansas) these chafers thrive in open, grassy ecosystems, including native shortgrass prairies, pastures, rangelands, and agricultural fields dominated by grasses like blue grama (Bouteloua gracilis) and others. It’s in these arid habitats that the larvae (grubs) are rarely considered major pests¹. Unlike most Phyllophaga species, adults are diurnal (active during the day); females are flightless.

Adults – This small to medium-sized chunky beetle, is about 0.5 to 0.7 inches (13 to 17 mm) long; females are larger than males. Their hard wing/body cover (elytra) is brown with several darker brown/grayish longitudinal marks under a coat of white bristly hairs. Their segmented abdomens are mostly a smooth grayish/white; their thorax (pronotum) is heavily covered with long brown hairs. Because of their noticeably long, magenta-colored legs, they stand tall above the ground while walking. If picked up, their legs feel clingy and prickly. Adults live only 1 – 2 months, just long enough to grab a quick bite to eat, mate, and lay eggs.

Calling All Males!

The female Lanceolated Chafer produces and uses a unique sex pheromone, l-leucine methyl ester, to attract males! Because this pheromone acts as a highly-targeted sex attractant in the wild, she is able to communicate her readiness to mate and get a rapid response. As has been demonstrated in field trials, male chafers catching a whiff of her urgent communication can’t resist the call and come flying (read the true story of my eye-witness account in my post titled The Life and Times of the Lanceolated Chafer ). Research scientists (and I) whole-heartedly believe this pheromone contributes to the species’ reproductive success in its native range.

This was a unique discovery because the Lanceolated Chafer is the first scarab beetle ever identified to produce an amino acid-derived pheromone. (And there are over 35,000 species of scarab beetles in the world, making up one of the largest and most diverse insect families on Earth!) The pheromone is so effective at targeting male chafers that entomologists use it to monitor and manage populations of these beetles in agricultural crops and turfgrass.

Probably a male chafer, walking along the 2-track trail

And now a note about topic organization …..

As in all beetle species, it’s usually the adults that are encountered. And it was the adult stage of the Lanceolated Chafer that’s most obvious along the subdivision’s 2-track rockpile trail. That’s why information about the adults was placed first, even though it’s actually the final stage in the life cycle of the chafer. But it’s interesting to understand how all those adults came to be. So the following few sections tackle the highlights of the 1 – 3 year long larval stage, and pupal stage of their life cycle, which take place after egg laying and hatching. Afterall, the Lanceolated Chafer spends the longest parts of their lives underground. And then, for no particular reason, I’ll end with a section on entomology.

Larval Stage – Larvae (grubs) have a translucent white to cream-colored body and a light tan to brown hard and stiff (sclerotized) head capsule. Larvae have three pairs of well-developed legs. When at rest they do so in a C-shaped curve.

By the 3rd instar, internal organs are more visible and jaws are larger! Grubs have a voracious appetite.

Larvae live for 1 – 3 years, primarily in the upper layers of the soil profile. To protect themselves from extremes in soil temperatures, both in summer and winter, they will burrow to depths ranging from 3 to 20 inches (7.6 to 50.8 cm), averaging 10.3 inches (26.2 cm). Larvae actually hibernate in the winter.

The three instar stages of larvae development, serves to progressively increase body size, head capsule width, and degree of sclerotization. At the end of each instar, larva take up excess air and/or water to swell their bodies. This extra pressure causes its old exoskeleton to split, allowing it to be shed (a process called ecdysis). Mature (third instar) larvae are 1.75 inches (45 mm) long with a nearly uniform body width.

Pupal Stage and Metamorphosis – When larvae are ready to move beyond the third instar, each individual builds a protective, earthen cell in the soil 8 to 12 inches (20 to 30 cm) deep where they will remain for the next 2 – 4 weeks while they undergo metamorphosis and and finally emerge as adult beetles.

Etymology

The genus, Phyllophaga, is a generic name that comes from two Greek words ….. phyllon which means “leaf,” and phagos which means “eater.” The specific epithet lanceolata comes from the Latin word lanceolatus, meaning lance-shaped, probably referring to the fine, lanceolate hair-like scales covering parts of the beetle’s body, such as the head (frons) and thorax (pronotum). The etymology of the word “chafer” comes from an Old English word meaning “gnawer,” referring to the beetle’s strong jaws.

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Hope you found this interesting!

As always, thanks for stopping by!

¹ Larvae of Lanceolated chafers are considered serious pests in the humid central and eastern U.S. they cause extensive damage to agricultural crops like corn, timothy, potatoes, and various other plants in the grass (Gramineae), pea (Fabaceae), and sunflower (Asteraceae) families.

References

ageconsearch.unm.edu

bugguide.net

grokipedia.com

iNaturalist.org

insectIdentification.org

invasive.org

npsnm.org

Lunginbill Sr., P and Printer, H.R., 1953, May Beetles of the US

Plains Beebalm – Page 12 .. The 100 Day Project (2026)

June 18, 2026

Plains Beebalm (Monarda pectinata Nutt. 1848)

aka Pony Beebalm

Etymology

Linnaeus named the genus Monarda to honor 16th century Spanish physician and botanist, Nicolás Bautista Monardes (1493-1588). Monardes never went to the Americas but was able to study medicinal plants in Spain, publishing the first systematic, in-depth book on medicinal plants and remedies brought to Europe from the Americas.

The species pectinata is derived from the Latin word pecten, meaning “comb.” The suffix -ata denotes possession or resemblance — so it translates loosely to “comb-like” or “having the form of a comb,” referring to the bristle-tipped bracts that sit below flower whorls.

Monarda pectinata is commonly called Plains Beebalm (or Pony Beebalm) because of its historically recorded uses by Indigenous peoples as an analgesic and antiseptic qualities.

Ethnobotanical and Culinary Uses

Indigenous peoples used a plant infusion to treat coughs, colds, fevers, and stomach complaints related to digestion. A flower infusion was used as a wash on insect bites and stings. The plant was rubbed on the head to bring relief from headache. In addition, historic records document that groups, such as the Kiowa, used Monarda pectinata leaves as a perfume due to its strong scent, and were chewed while traveling.

The strongly aromatic smell of crushed Plains Beebalm leaves smell both savory and citrusy, similar to oregano or lemon. Sometimes called “wild oregano,” they can be eaten fresh, dried or cooked to season in salads or other foods. In spring the leaves may be boiled to make herbal tea.

Plains Beebalm blooming in our yard, in bright sunshine and rocky soils.

Pollinators

According to the Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation, all Monarda species attract a number of native pollinators such as specialist bees, bumble bees, predatory wasps, hummingbirds, and hawk moths.

A Few Fun Facts

Desert Survivor: Although many Monarda species are moisture-loving, such as Wild Bergamot (Monarda fistulosa) found the along cool trails of Sandia Mountain, Plains Beebalm prefers hot, harsh, dry environments like desert washes, rocky slopes, and sandy pinyon-juniper woodlands.

Wild Bergamot and a little skipper pollinator. Tecolote Trail, Sandia Mountain, NM. This Monarda species prefers living in moist soils under the shady canopy of white fir and ponderosa pine.

Mammal Resistant: While pollinators adore Plains Beebalm, its strong, minty-citrusy-oregano essential oils act as a natural deterrent, making the plant resistant to browsing deer and rabbits.

Pollinator Magnet: The tubular pale pink flowers of Plains Beebalm are an excellent nectar source for long-tongued native bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds, especially during the hot summer months.

Soothing Relief: Plants in the Monarda genus are commonly called “Beebalm” due to the soothing nature a wash application of the plant, especially the flowers, has on insect bites and stings — particularly bee stings. Turns out plants in the genus contain the active ingredient thymol, a natural antiseptic found in modern mouthwashes.

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Hope you found this interesting!

As always, thanks for stopping by!

References

commons.wikimedia.org

yavapaiplants.extension.arizona.edu

Yanovsky, E., Food Plants of the North American Indians U.S. Department of Agriculture, Publication no. 237.

Dark Jerusalem Cricket – Page 5 .. The 100 Day Project (2026)

April 5, 2026

Dark Jerusalem Cricket (Ammopelmatus fuscus)

Last month (mid-March), while looking everywhere for signs of spring (something green and growing), I dared to peek under a flat rock and gasped with surprise! Instead of uncovering a tiny flower bud was a gigantic “creepy-crawly” bug! Yikes! After quickly dropping the rock back on his head I realized my run-away imagination had gotten the better of me.

So gathering my courage, I took another look. There, hiding under that rock was a “cuddly” Jerusalem cricket trying his best to be invisible (while avoiding the bright sunlight).

This wasn’t my first Jerusalem cricket, but seeing this guy prompted me to learn more about this curious insect……

Firstly, Jerusalem crickets are neither true crickets nor are they native to Jerusalem

Taxonomists agree, “Jerusalem crickets are in a very different family than true crickets. This includes a bunch of flightless varieties, and some with wings, found in Africa. The Jerusalem crickets are wingless and are found in the Americas.”
“The origins of the name, “Jerusalem” cricket isn’t certain, but it’s thought that it comes either as a reference to the skull-shaped head (they’re also known as skull crickets), which is associated with skull hill in Jerusalem; or, comes from a watered-down swear word from the ‘40s and ‘50s. Around this time, in the US, both “Jerusalem” and “Cricket” were expletives, associated with being startled.”

Next, some Jerusalem Cricket Mating Characteristics

Similar to true crickets, each species of “sings” a different song during mating. They actually sing by drumming and they drum by beating their butts on the ground.
Once a larger female has successfully mated with a smaller male, and before she lays eggs, females usually eat the males!
She lays her egg masses in holes in the soil. After hatching, over the next 1-2 years, nymphs undergo several molts (as many as 10) until they reach sexual maturity which lasts for only 2-6 months.
Adults can reach up to 2 to 3 inches in length. Females are often larger in size; males have longer hind legs.

Third, Jerusalem Cricket Habitats and Out-of-Sight Living Quarters

They are “well-adapted to living in sandy soils, but can be found in sand dunes, chaparrals, grasslands, woodlands, and forests.”
Being nocturnal, they spend a majority of their lives underground.
They hide underneath organic matter and other debris like rocks, wood. With their powerful mandibles, spiny legs and specially adapted feet, they also dig underground burrows for comfortable living quarters.

And Almost Lastly …. the Cultural Significance of Jerusalem Crickets

Of great importance to Native Americans as food, many tribes in southwestern U.S. also considered Jerusalem crickets as a powerful cultural symbol. Its striking appearance leads some to think the cricket brings mortality, as depicted in the folklore of the Chumash people of southern California.
The Hopi, who settled in Arizona, portrays this cricket as a spirit being (a Kachina) named Sösööpa who races. As a result, it’s often carved into their Katsina dolls as a yellow humanlike character with black beady eyes, a black-and-white plaid skirt, and antennae made from sand grass, depicting traits of the cricket.
The Navajo associated the Yucca plant with the insect; you had to eat the plant as a cure of the cricket’s painful bite. This myth possibly gave rise to the misconception that their bite is venomous.

It’s Greek to Me! (Entomologically Speaking)

Learning the meaning of a scientific name assigned to a species not only helps me remember uncommon words and how they’re pronounced, but often describes aspects of a species’ characteristics that may help differentiate it from another similar-looking species. Learning about these complex names falls into a study called entomology.

Ammopelmatus fuscus, the scientific name for the Dark Jerusalem Cricket, is quite a mouthful. Curious about the meanings (in plain English) of these two strange words, I learned the name originates from Greek and Latin roots meaning “dark sand-sole” or “dark sand-burrower,” obviously referring to their sandy habitats, dark color, and burrowing behavior. But to learn how the common name with the word “sole” ties to one of the cricket’s characteristics, my dive continued. Here’s the entomology breakdown:

Genus Ammopelmatus
- Ammos (Greek) means “sand,” referring to the cricket’s specialized adaptation to arid, sandy environments.
- pelma (Greek) means “sole of the foot,” highlighting the specialized leg structures the cricket uses for burrowing.
- tus (Greek) is a common word meaning either “them” or “their.” In this case, “tus” ties the first two parts together into “their sand sole.”
Species fuscus (Latin) means “dark,” “dusky,” or “brown,” describing the cricket’s color.

Here’s the underside of my Dark Jerusalem Cricket. The leg spines really show well as does the strong mandible. A scary fascinating view!

After learning more about the Dark Jerusalem Cricket, maybe next time I discover one, I won’t jump so high?! Do you think?

Have you seen a Jerusalem cricket hiding out in your yard? If so, what was your reaction?

Hope you enjoyed this post! Thanks for stopping by!

References

inaturalist.org/taxa

bugguide.net/node/view/154

factanimal.com/jerusalem-cricket/

Eaton, Eric R.; Kenn Kaufman (2007). Kaufman Field Guide to Insects of North America. New York: Houghton Mifflin. p. 84.
Milne, Lorus Milne, Lorus and Milne, Margery (1980) The Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Insects & Spiders. Alfred A. Knopf, Inc, pp. 437.
Stoffolano JG, Wright B (2005). “So so opa —Jerusalem Cricket: An Important Insect in the Hopi Katsina Pantheon.”American Entomologist. 51 (3): 174–179. doi:10.1093/ae/51.3.174

Switched the Midge!

A Fourwing Saltbush Gall Mystery Solved

September 30, 2025

If you’re a fan of weird twists in nature (like me), and enjoyed my November 25, 2024 post, “A Quirk of Nature: Fourwing Saltbush,” you may have lost many hours of sleep wondering how I could’ve missed such an obvious mistake! You know the one. The labeling error made when naming those cottonball-like insect galls hugging the Fourwing stems.

In my confusion (or wishing to cover all options?), I seemed to believe two different midge species were somehow responsible for the same gall.

Are they Rosette Bud Gall Midge galls or Fourwing Saltbush Wooly Gall Midge galls?

Decisions, decisions.

My Quandry quite clear, it was time to consult the experts.

A short 10 months later, confirmation arrived from the iNaturalist experts in all things “Fourwing.” All the puffy galls are none other than those made by Fourwing Saltbush Wooly Gall Midges!

And the answer to my question is well timed, as the stems of the female Fourwing shrubs are once again ‘heavy’ with Wooly Gall Midge galls. Now I know! Now you also know!

Enjoy this official correction, at long last, and wishing you sweet dreams.

As always, thanks for stopping by!

PS: My journal page was created by first sketching in graphite the two Fourwing stems, followed by outlining with loose ink lines from a Micron 005, adding a background of both soft and medium charcoal – blending with a stump, then using a Tombow Mono Zero eraser to clean up the ‘cottonballs,’ before adding watercolor pencil, color splatters, and eraser lines randomly placed through the charcoal background. A bit experimental, and lots of fun.

Floss is Flying 🪂 !

It Must be Fall …….

September 22, 2025

Like soft, fluffy snow! Glistening orbs of silky gossamer are floating about the neighborhood, drifting hither and yon in the gentle breeze. Suspended beneath each orb is a single reddish-brown winged seed that appears to coax its wind-propelled puff in a safe descent to the ground. But the white floss (the Coma) wants to fly, and it becomes a tug of war. As the weight of the seed overwhelms the ability (and the desire) of the floss to carry it, their brief relationship is severed. But both get their wish …. the floss flies free as the seed drops to the ground, hopefully landing in an ideal spot to overwinter and sprout next spring.

Welcome Fall!

When the air is full of Horsetail Milkweed parachutes and their ‘riders,’ I walk along the neighborhood roadways and collect a bounty of their new-crop seeds + floss to set free around our property. If they find the right soil, moisture, and light conditions for spring germination, the seeds will not only form the beginnings of a stand of these beautifully blooming, creamy-white milkweed flowers, but the plants might just play host to Monarch and Queen butterflies!

Now wouldn’t that be dandy!

(Of course, mature seeds from new plants will undoubtedly entice a hungry crop of well-dressed Milkweed Bugs next Fall. That’s OK! They have to eat too!)

My Journal Pages ……

For something different, instead of using ink and watercolor, all sketches on these pages were created in graphite. The pods, seeds and the milkweed bug were sketched from my collected samples using a mechanical pencil loaded with a fine point HB lead. The touches of color were added with water soluble graphite.

Thanks for stopping by ….. And Have a Fabulous Fall!

Shifts in Nature

August Littles ….. 2025

September 8, 2025

Ohhhhhh, what a sweet month …… August. It almost got away from me without sharing a small collection of Littles¹ that reflect the inevitable shifts in nature that occur during the month. It’s always hard to imagine summer winding down; where did the time go? But as surely as butter melts on freshly baked bread, undeniably, August forms a reliable bridge between summer and autumn. It’s a time of change and transition; abundance and harvest; transformation and a period of letting go.

So before I “let go” and before the snow flies (and it will), here’s a handful of little discoveries during the month of August:

-A female Wheel Bug gone slightly astray while searching for a protected place to overwinter the eggs she’s about to lay.

-A female Soldier Beetle doing her best to attract a mate by sending out pheromones while munching late season pollen from the disk flowers of a brilliant yellow Showy Goldeneye.

-An acorn that made it to maturity, ready to drop beneath a still green-leaved Gambel Oak soon to be decked out in radiant fall colors.

-Some hot red trumpet-shaped Scarlet Gilia flowers, still irresistible to hummingbirds until migration, will all be pollinated in time for seed set and mature.

-The snowy white fruit dangling from the draping branches of Roundleaf Snowberry shrubs are ripe and ready for plucking by hungry birds flying south for the winter.

-And plump purple-black Chokecherry berries that will become a juicy dietary supplement for black bears needing to bulk up for hibernation.

Enjoy!

And as always, thanks for dropping by!

¹“Littles” is part of a blog series I began posting several years ago, beginning in January 2023. The concept was inspired by Fay (thanks again Fay!) who came up with the idea for her blog madebyfay.wordpress.com

If you’d like to read more of an explanation, check out my January 2023 post, Winter Birding on Sedillo Hill