Blue Vervain

Posted on July 12, 2015 by tspuckler

This is a neat and distinctive plant that I sometimes come across in fields at this time of year. It is a slender, but erect wildflower that grows up to 5 feet tall.

Blue Vervain habitats include riverbottom prairies, moist meadows in floodplain woodlands, soggy thickets, borders of rivers and ponds, marshes, ditches, fence rows and pastures. It adapts readily to degraded wetlands and other disturbed areas.

It is a member of the mint family so it has a square stalk and opposite branches. The flowers of Blue Vervain attract many kinds of long-tongued and short-tongued bees.

This plant has a use for humans as well; it is an anti-spasmodic herb and muscle relaxer. Blue Vervain has been used to soothe and repair damaged nerves. There’s a lot of reasons to like this graceful plant once you get to know it.

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Eastern Kingbird

Posted on July 4, 2015 by tspuckler

The crisp markings of this bird and its white tail tip are distinctive. This big-headed, broad-shouldered bird gets its name from its habit of harassing Crows, Red-tailed Hawks, Great Blue Herons and other birds that pass over its territory.

Eastern Kingbirds often perch on wires or on the topmost tips of plants in open areas, leaving their posts to fltter over the tops of grasses in searech of flying insects to eat. These birds are members of the Flycatcher Family.

They inhabit woodland edges, river groves, farms, orchards and roadsides. In the Summer, Eastern Kingbords require open space for hunting and trees for nesting; their habitat ranges from clearings within forest to open grassland with few scattered trees.

After migrating to South America in Autumn, in the Winter these birds take on a different personality, living in flocks in tropical forests and dining on berries.

Eastern kingbirds are important predators of insects during this time of the year. They are also fun to watch hunt food and chase other (in many cases larger) birds from their territories.

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Big-headed Ground Beetle

Posted on June 29, 2015 by tspuckler

Although a bit scary looking, due to its small size, this insect poses no danger to humans. These distinctive, shiny-black creatures are usually about 3/4″ long and are named because of their large mandibles.

These beetles share physical characteristics of the tropical stag beetles, but are not closely related. Big-headed Ground Beetles can often be found under loose rocks and boards. If touched, they often “play dead” by folding in their legs and arching their backs.

They are able to live in a variety of different habitats, including urban areas, woodlands and gardens. Big-headed Ground Beetles are frequently found in agricultural areas, where they hunt other insects (their main food source).

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Northern Pike

Posted on June 20, 2015 by tspuckler

I went fishing with my brother-in-law at a small lake not far from my house and he landed this incredible fish. This fish gets its name from its resemblance to the pole-weapon known as the pike (from the Middle English word for “pointed”).

Northern Pike average 18-20 inches in length. They can be identified by their single dorsal fin and light-colored spots along their dark body. They are found in a variety of freshwater habitats, from cold deep lakes, to warm shallow ponds, to muddy rivers. They have a broad range of tolerances for water temperature, clarity and oxygen content.

These are aggressive, solitary fish. They typically lurk, relying on camoflauge and are able to attack quickly. Their eyes are highly movable and are able to see in practically any direction. They are “sit and predators” that usually hide in some type of cover, cocked in an “S” position and ready to strike.

Northern Pike are equipped with sharp teeth and have very complex skull and jaw structures, enabling them feed on smaller fish, frogs, crayfish, small mammals and birds. These fish are top predators in the systems they inhabit and it was very cool to encounter one in the wild.

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Coast Mountain Kingsnake

Posted on June 13, 2015 by tspuckler

The most exciting part of my recent visit to southern California was seeing a few of these spectacular serpents in the field. This is one of the most strikingly colored snakes in North America. Its colors really stand out on its smooth, shiny scales.

This reptile is endemic to North America and a Coral Snake mimic, having a similar pattern consisting of red, black, and yellow on its body, but kingsnakes are completely harmless.

These are slender, smooth and medium-sized snakes usually about 24-30 inches long. Most Coast Mountain Kingsnakes live in the mountains of southern California, but they can adapt to a wide variety of habitats, including coniferous forests, oak-pine woodlands, riparian woodlands, chaparrals and coastal sage scrubs.

Coast Mountain Kingsnakes are constrictors, their diet includes lizards, smaller snakes, nestling birds and bird eggs and small mammals. Once a family with several subspecies, Mountain Kings in California are now considered two species, this one and one in the northern part of the state known as the California Mountain Kingsnake.

This reptile is mostly diurnal, but can be active at night in warmer weather. it is an excellent climber and prefers southwestern facing slopes, often retreating beneath granite flakes of rocks. It was awesome to see this species of snake in the wild.

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Red-spotted Toad

Posted on June 6, 2015 by tspuckler

The Red-spotted Toad of the arid southwestern United States is named for the orange or red spots that are usually scattered on its back, sides and legs.

No two are alike – some have many spots while others have few to none.

This toad is one of the very few amphibians that can be found in the desert throughout most of the year. I see them most often along the edges of creeks and springs.

They have a general body pattern that is flattened. This allows them to crawl beneath rocks and crevices where these nocturnal creatures spend much of the day hiding.

Red-spotted Toads are nimble and climb over, under and around rocks with ease. They are one of our smaller toad species, reaching lengths around 2-1/2 to 3 inches.

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Western Banded Gecko

Posted on May 30, 2015 by tspuckler

This is a small, nocturnal and delicate-looking lizard with large eyes featuring vertical pupils. This lizard’s eyelids are edged in white. Its small scales are granular and soft and its toes are slender.

The tail is about as long as the body and usually has indistinct rings. There is a constriction at the base of the otherwise bulky tail. Males have spurs on either side of the body at the base of the tail.

The Western Banded Gecko occurs in the Mohave and Sonoran deserts and is found in open, arid areas, desert grassland, canyons and hillsides. It is usually associated with rocks or other shelters, but is also is found in sandy dunes.

Active mainly at night, they sometimes can be seen crossing roads during the Summer. When running, they carry their tail curved and over their back. It has been suggested that this mimics the scorpions that share the same habitat.

It avoids the heat of the day by hiding under logs, debris and within moist rock crevices. It can make a squeaking sound if frightened. The tail has specialized fracture planes that allow it to easily break off. However, the regenerated tail is shorter than the original and has different colors, patterns and scales than the original.

The Western Banded Gecko feeds mainly on small insects and spiders. Prey is stalked in a cat-like manner with the lizard often twitching its tail (like a cat); then, with a final lunge, it is captured in the jaws. After a meal, the gecko cleans its face with its tongue. This small reptile is perhaps the most charming of all the desert inhabitants that I regularly come across when visiting the Las Vegas area.

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Jack-in-the-pulpit

Posted on May 23, 2015 by tspuckler

A sure sign of Spring is seeing this unique plant with an interesting growth habit. Its flower structure consists of the spadix (Jack) which is an erect spike containing numerous, tiny, green to purple flowers and the sheath-like spathe (pulpit).

Two large green, compound leaves, divided into three leaflets each, emanate upward from a single stalk and provide umbrella-like shade to the flower. The fleshy stalk and leaves lend an almost tropical aura to the plant (though it can be found through the United States as well as parts of Canada).

As protection, this plant contains a high concentration of crystals of calcium oxalate which is a salt of oxalic acid (COOH), a weak acid that is an ingredient in some bleaches and anti-rust metal cleaners. The chemical is infused throughout the plant, protecting it from ingestion by insects and mammals.

In Autumn, Jack-in-the-Pulpit’s mace-like cluster of red berries at the top of an otherwise bare stem has inspired a plethora of folk names.

Jack-in-the-pulpit is a species requiring shade and is found in rich, moist, deciduous woods and floodplains. It is a long-lived perennial and can live to 25 or more years of age.

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Snail-eating Ground Beetle

Posted on May 17, 2015 by tspuckler

There are a lot of species of beetles. Of those many species, there are over 30,000 species known as ground beetles in 1500 genera world wide. The Snail Eater falls into this group. I encountered this one while on a visit to northern California.

This creature can be found in a variety of habitats, including forests, parks and gardens. It is nocturnal and usually encountered under rocks, logs and the loose bark of downed trees – especially around old, rotting tree stumps and fallen branches.

The Snail-eating Ground Beetle feeds solely on snails and has a narrow head to enable it to better reach its prey.

It defends itself is by squirting yellow acid out of its rear end to startle predators attempting to mess with it. The Snail-eating Ground Beetle can also make a noise when picked up that some describe as a squeak, but others refer to as a metallic hiss.

Both larvae and adults are carnivorous and specialize in eating slugs and snails, as well as eating a range of carrion. They can be found throughout the year, although they hibernate during the coldest winter months.

This is just another example of one of the really cool beetles that can be found by doing a little bit of looking around.

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California Legless Lizard

Posted on May 9, 2015 by tspuckler

This weekend I had an encounter with a reptile that I’ve never seen before. As adults, California Legless Lizards are around 8 inches in total length. They have small, smooth scales typically colored silver above and yellow below. These lizards have blunt tails.

They live in loose, sandy soils or leaf litter, typically in sand dunes along the coast. These unusual lizards burrow easily through the sand and feed on sowbugs, spiders, insects and insect larvae. They are found only in California and northern Baja.

How can a reptile that looks so much like a snake be a lizard? One difference is that the California Legless Lizard has moveable eyelids (something snakes do not have). Also, unlike most snakes, many lizards, they have the ability to purposely detach their tails to avoid being eaten by predators.

Millions of years ago, lizards on five continents independently lost their limbs in order to burrow more quickly into sand or soil, wriggling like snakes. This particular type of reptile is so secretive that in 2013 four new species were discovered in California.

It was awesome to finally see one of these elusive creatures “in person.”

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Tim Spuckler's Blog

Reptile Ramblings and More

Blue Vervain

Eastern Kingbird

Big-headed Ground Beetle

Northern Pike

Coast Mountain Kingsnake

Red-spotted Toad

Western Banded Gecko

Jack-in-the-pulpit

Snail-eating Ground Beetle

California Legless Lizard