Aerial gunning of coyotes gets Petey thinking. Oh dear.
It is mind boggling that there is still an agency in the USDA called Wild Life Services that kills “pesky” wildlife for farmers, ranchers, or really anyone that falls under the category of agriculture in its broadest sense. Millions of dollars are spent to kill wildlife. Enough said I guess. Porcupines are one of our largest rodents. I think beavers may be our biggest, but anyway, porcupines have quite a range in Arizona. I’ve seen them in ironwood and saguaro forest, but they are definitely more common in the uplands. They have very few native predators and they can live to a ripe old porcupine age. I suspect they do succumb to the pressure of humans and populations dwindle. Porcupines are quite beautiful, quills and all, and I hope when you do see one that your dog is on a leash.
Asclepias asperula is found beyond the borderlands around the Southwestern United States and into Northern Mexico. My explanation of the common name antelope horns...
I enjoy hearing friends talk about the plants that they’ve seen on walks or hikes and when we share our enthusiasm the jabbering is...
The photos are mine of the Mirabilis longiflora flowers and Manduca sexta, the Carolina sphinx moth and tobacco hornworm. Note the seven streamline white...