Monthly Archives: June 2013

Desert Iguana

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An adult desert iguana is large for a lizard, measuring head-to-tail 10-16 inches. The tail makes up most of the lizard’s length. Their genus is Dipsosaurus, which translates to “thirsty lizard.”

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Active in daylight, desert iguanas change color to regulate body temperature. They are darkest in the morning to absorb more heat from the sun, and they will turn nearly pure white by early afternoon to reflect sunlight. These lizards can stand hotter temperatures than most, remaining on 115º F days.

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Though desert iguanas seem to prefer open, relatively flat habitat, they rely heavily on the Creosote Bush in these areas for a number of needs. This plant provides some of the lizard’s diet (flowers), and the lizard burrows around and under the plant’s roots to avoid extreme temperatures and predators.

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I always enjoy seeing this large, heat-loving “classic” desert reptile.

Third Eye Herp
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Screwbean Mesquite

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Perhaps the first thing you’ll notice about Screwbean Mesquite is the unusual spiral of the seed pods from which it takes its name.

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This is a medium-sized, spindly, many branched, thorny shrub with many straight, stout spines along the stems.

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Native Americans relied on the mesquite pod as a dietary staple from which they made tea, syrup and a ground meal called pinole.

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A favorite of bees and other insects (like this Tarantula Hawk), mesquite flowers produce a fragrant honey. Its pale to very bright yellow 2-to-3 inch spike blooms are produced from May to June.

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This is a cool plant to see, smell, taste and touch in person.

Third Eye Herp
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Pinacate Beetle

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These shiny black beetles are common in the Southwest. They are called a number of other different names, such as desert stink beetles, clown beetles and headstanding beetles.

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When threatened, it will raise up on its back legs to stick its bottom in the air. This is a warning to stay back. For protection, it can emit a bad-smelling odor.

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Thickened, leathery wing-covers protect their delicate flight wings, which they do not use. Pinacate beetles are one of the great walkers of the desert beetle world and are often encountered, seemingly wandering at random.

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They occur across a variety of habitats, from open dunes to shrubs to mountains. There are several genera and over 1400 species of beetles similar to this one.

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Gila Spotted Whiptail

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Let’s see what’s up in the Las Vegas area this week, OK?

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Today I went to the Cerbat Mountains in Arizona and saw this reptile. This lizard is usually found in relatively open and sunny areas, often in the vicinity of pine trees. It is an alert, day active, fast-moving ground-dweller.

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It forages for a variety of insects and spiders by rooting around in leaves under bushes and digging in the soil around the bases of rocks.

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Whiptails have distinctive pointed heads and very long, whiplike tails.

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Here’s a pretty crazy thing about these reptiles: All Gila Spotted Whiptails are female. Eggs are unfertilized and hatchlings are clones of the mother.

Third Eye Herp
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Pheasant’s Back Mushroom

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When out hiking recently I came across these large brackets growing out of dead trees. Their size (up to two feet across) and wild bird-like colors and patters were rather eye-catching.

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This large and distinctive fungus is not likely to be overlooked in nature. The radial bands of dark, flat scales on the upper surface of the cap make this species easy to identify, since there is nothing else quite like it in the forests of eastern North America.

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The underside of the shelf has large, irregularly-shaped, angular pores instead of gills. Most grow as a shelf-shaped or fan-shaped structure with a thick stem. Occasionally they grow as a complete circular, funnel-shaped mushroom.

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Like its relatives, Pheasant’s Back Mushroom plays an important role in breaking down the tough materials wood is made of and returning those nutrients to the soil. This is a key part of a forest’s recycling process.

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This organism is also known as Dryad’s Saddle. In Greek mythology, dryads were forest nymphs who were responsible for the trees and did not mingle with the other gods. They were depicted with oak-leave crowns and carried axes to protect their charges from intruders.

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This fungus is also pretty cool because it smells like watermelon!

Third Eye Herp
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