What's New on Arizonensis?

Follow Arizonensis on  Twitter !

Click the hyperlink to view each new page.

• June 7^th, 2013
       Very hot sunshine is the norm for much of the year in the Sonoran Desert. A spider takes shelter among leaves and silk: Orb Web Spider
• May 20^th, 2013
       Ferruginous Hawks leave the northern states for sunny Arizona in the winter: Feathered Snowbirds
• April 12^th, 2013
       This plain brown bug belongs to the family of Leaf-footed Bugs, but hasn't got leaves on its feet: Coreid Bug on Scrambling Wortclub
• February 21^th, 2013
       A small spider with a mission (survivial and reproduction in a harsh environment) lives on a well-adapted desert shrub: Tangled Web Spider
• February 11^th, 2013
       Not only did the Blind Watch Maker build an eye, it also learned to boil water and not get burned: Bombardier Beetle
• January 24^th, 2013
       Legumes, i.e., members of the bean family are important components of every vegetation type in Arizona: Scurfy Pea
• December 30^th, 2012
       Honey bees are normally quite safe when foraging along side a bumblebee ... but this bumblebee look alike isn't a bee at all: Bee Killer
• December 20^th, 2012
       This little blue is stretching to reach the the last sip of nectar at the bottom of the floral tube: Acmon Blue Butterfly & Mojave Aster
• November 4^th, 2012
       Sunflowers are still blooming where there's water and upon them the observant person will find a wide variety of insects and birds: Annual Sunflower's Menagerie
• October 27^th, 2012
       This flower's long, long tube is tied to it's pollinator-partner's exceptionally long tongue: Sweet Four O'Clock
• October 3^rd, 2012
       What's your favorite flower color? Red? Blue? Pink? Yellow? Could it, would it, possibly be Green?! Pale Desert-Thorn
• September 18^th, 2012
       The newest page describes a dainty fly taking nectar at a flower. If I focused only on dipterans in the Sonoran Desert I could only scratch the surface of what there is to know about them. Overwhelming Diversity
• September 7^th, 2012
       At the very top of a Saguaro Cactus there's a velvety coating of soft plant hairs: Protection in a Harsh Environment
• August 12^th, 2012
       The stately saguaro cactus seems to define the Sonoran Desert. Similarly the Baobab defines the African Savana: Baobab Tree
• July 17^th, 2012
       The wonder of Nature Study is that no matter how close or how long or how deep you study, more details appear: Desert Honeysuck Seed Dispersal
• July 1^st, 2012
       One can imagine that nature is singing a song just for you as you hike your favorite canyon. Canyon Wren
• June 16^th, 2012
       Mess with this insect or its livestock and you could end up with a mist of acid in your face! Wood Ant
• June 4^th, 2012
       Poorly drained spots with high evaporation rates often lead to saline or alkaline soils: Alkali Sacaton
• May 25^th, 2012
       Quite a number of desert plants have highly reflective, silvery leaves and stems to help deflect intense sunshine: Indigo Bush
• April 14^th, 2012
       If you find lots of holes chewed out of lettuce or cabbage in the garden this is a likely culprit: Cabbage Looper
• March 26^th, 2012
       This fly is wearing a disguise and doesn't know it: Thick-headed Fly
• March 12^th, 2012
       When you find yourself quite excited to find this small, cryptic and not-so-showy flower you have become a naturalist too! Spearleaf
• February 25^th, 2012
       Cotton socks have been a boon to the spread and proliferation of plants with burs! Flat-spine Stick-seed
• Jan. 21^th, 2012
       Plants with a name like 'Cooba', are clearly out of place in the Sonoran Desert: Willow Acacia
• December 20^th, 2011
       A small, drab-gray moth sitting quietly on a flower head is also a player in the magnificent Sonoran Desert ecosystem: Microlepidoptera
• December 1^st, 2011
       Apparently, Prairie Falsons find Mourning Doves very pleasant to eat: Falcons Like High Places
• November 16^th, 2011
       Male birds can look very different than females. Also, juvenile plumage can be very distinct from the adult's. Juvenile Night-Heron
• November 12^th, 2011
       Long before we spotted the the owl, the owl spotted us as a birding group hiked Reach 11
• October 15^th, 2011
       They're sometimes called pill-bugs, but they're not bugs at all. Woodlouse
• September 20^th, 2011
       Photos and desriptions of 42 bird species from Kenya, Africa: On Safari!
• August 26^th, 2011
       Ann McDermott shares and alternate view of life and mystery of survival in the Sonoran Desert: Roadrunner Bill Clacking
• August 17^th, 2011
       Hot weather in the low desert might drive nature hikers into the mountains: Cliff Rose and Horsetail Milkweed
• July 21^st, 2011
       New photos and a map added to Arizona Desert Urban Habitat page for: Phoenix, Granada Park
• June 2^nd, 2011
       Clearly, areas with abundant fish to support pelicans, are few in the Sonoran Desert: American White Pelican
• May 25^nd, 2011
       Thanks to a generous photo submission by a visitor to this website we now have a good photo of a Gilded Flicker
• May 16^th, 2011
       One must appreciate the important roll that filter-feeding mosquitoes play in aquatic systems and the amazing engineering of their phlebotamist's gear. Yellow Fever Mosquito
• May 2^nd, 2010
       Hungry birds hunting for insects usually avoid ants altogether and thus avoid this bug also because it Looks Like an Ant
• April 23^rd, 2011
       Amazing variety and colors of galls on Scrub Live Oak: Oak Galls
• Mar. 10^th, 2011
       Plants with strong flavors have been frequent immigrants to the Sonoran Desert: Henbit Deadnettle
• Feb. 14^th, 2011
       Brittlebush is a very common and there's a lot of activity in and on these plants: Brittle Bush, Page 2
• January 22^nd, 2011
       Ladder-backed Woodpeckers learn to open a lunchbox (of sorts): Hackberry Gall Psyllids
• December 8^th, 2010
       Sometimes even a devotee of the Sonoran Desert finds that a trip to Arizona's high country brings relief and comfort: Plants Among the Pines
• October 31^st, 2010
       This close relative of the garden tomato and a closer relative of the tomatillo used in Mexican cooking grows commonly at mid elevations in Arizona: Ivy-leaf Groundcherry
• October 20^th, 2010
       Western Tent Caterpillars can sometimes completely defoliate riparian trees: Willows, Cottonwoods or Choke-cherry
• July 20^th, 2010
       A new guide on Arizona Naturalists describes 34 species of plants found in Sycamore Canyons. Riparian Woodland Gallery Flora
• June 18^th, 2010
       When it gets too sunny and hot for dragonflies they obelisk to reduce sun exposure. Mexican Amberwing
• June 10^th, 2010
       The Tucson Mountains ring the western rim of the Tucson valley and give residents convenient access to the wondrous Sonoran Desert: Tucson Mountains
• May 14^th, 2010
       This new stink bug might not be a good thing: Painted Stink Bug
• Apr. 26^th, 2010
       Xeriscape gardeners are enamoured with the brilliant hot pink to magenta flowers of Parry's Penstemon: Uses Less Water too!
• Apr. 8^th, 2010
       Even less common plants have grown and are blooming this El Niño year: Three New Blazing Stars
• Mar. 31^st, 2010
       Urbanites shouldn't feel satisfaction knowing that the sounds from the bug-zapper represent the destruction a beneficial insect: Green Lacewing
• Mar. 24^th, 2010
       Progress is being made to have a page for every Sonoran Desert plant species: Arizona Lupine
• Mar. 10^th, 2010
       Bracket Fungi work to recycle the tough wood and lignin in a dead cottonwood: Ganoderma Shelf Fungus
• Mar. 2^th, 2010
       Tallus snails hide for months on end within their shells waiting and waiting for the desert to be wet again: Hill Top Snails
• February 17^th, 2010
       Winter season is the most comfortable time to explore the hot, dry ranges in far southwestern Arizona: Muggins Mountains Wilderness Area
• Feb. 10^th, 2010
       Pygmy-Cedar looks for all the World like a conifer of some kind ... But It Is Not!
• Feb. 4^th, 2010
       A delicate butterfly thrives in one of the most inhospitable places in the Sonoran Desert. Scrub Mallow Hairstreak
• Jan. 14^th, 2010
       A new project on Arizonensis! Sycamore woodlands are like ribbons of green through the desert: Sycamore Creeks and Canyons
• Jan. 4^th, 2010
       An ant-eater in Arizona: Red-shafted Flicker
• Dec. 9^th, 2009
       A Lark Sparrow hides in the grass while in plain sight: Above All, Avoid Predation
• Nov. 12^th, 2009
       Cattle Egrets like to follow in the tracks of cows, sheep or tractors: To Catch a Hopper
• Nov. 2^nd, 2009
       Juncos are rare one winter and common the next in the Sonoran Desert: Dark-eyed Junco
• Oct. 8^th, 2009
       The Sonoran Desert has become home to many plants from around the World: Castorbean
• Sep 29^th, 2009
       What made these perfectly smooth holes in a cottonwood leaf? Cottonwood Leaf Miner
• Sept. 15^th, 2009
       Common, but very aware and ready to run ... fast! Zebra-tailed Lizard
• Sept. 3^rd, 2009
       These birds must dry their feathers after diving for fish: Neotropic Cormorant
• Aug. 24^th, 2009
       Page # 1000 just added! A water bird in the Sonoran Desert: Great Egret
• Aug 17^th, 2009
       At night after a monsoon deluge these very large toads emerge to feast and reproduce: Sonoran Desert Toad
• Aug 11^th, 2009
       Did you spot that humongous wasp?: Tarantula Hawk
• Aug 3^rd, 2009
       Studying ecology is often about finding connections. Seep Monkey flower supports a butterfly: Common Buckeye
• July 16^th, 2009
       While bicycling through Phoenix streets I saw city birds, landscape plants, weeds and aggregations of Homo sapiens. Bike Rider Naturalist
• June 9^th, 2009
       Walk among grand Arizona Sycamores and you just might receive the attention of this large bird: Common Black Hawk
• June 8^th, 2009
       In transition from Sonoran Desert to Chaparral a springtime favorite wildflower: Purple or Chaparral Nightshade
• June 1^st, 2009
       Century Plants bloom only once before they die, so they go all out! Golden-flowered Agave
• May 26^th, 2009
       Red could mean blood. Or else red could symbolize passion. But for hummingbirds it's an advert for a sugar reward: Wavy-leaf Indian Paintbrush
• May 19^th, 2009
       These little flies that don't even bite are amazingly annoying! Eye Gnats
• May 5^th, 2009
       Another butterfly flits onto the pages of the Sonoran Desert Naturalist: Empress Leilia
• April 28^st, 2009
       A Moth in a Bumblebee disguise. Snowberry Clearwing
• Apr. 20^th, 2009
       Watch a video by Arizona Botanist Wendy Hodgson on the: Agaves Page
• Apr. 15^th, 2009
       After a long winter this lizard looks pretty thin and hungry: Sonoran Collared Lizard
• Apr. 9^th, 2009
       The glory of these wildflowers fades by mid morning: Tufted Evening Primrose
• Apr. 6^th, 2009
       Pink Penstemons are Showy: Desert Beard-tongue
• March 24^th, 2009
       Temperatures like Paradise in winter and Hell in summer! Quartzite, Arizona
• March 12^th, 2009
       Sora and other rails would rather not be seen: Sora is a Marsh Bird
• Mar. 5^th, 2009
       With so many scenic routes in Arizona it is hard to choose favorites: The Apache Trail
• Mar. 3^rd, 2009
       Wildflowers in the western Arizona Deserts do not last long: Yellow Sun Cup
• Feb 26^th, 2009:
       Pima Canyon is a Tucson standard for mountain hiking and a quick escape into the wilderness.   Rugged Canyonlands near Tucson
• Febuary 19^th, 2009
       Thumb images and links to common desert birds: Thrashers, Hawks, Doves, etc.
• Febuary 15^th, 2009
       Wetland and riparian birds in the Sonoran Desert: Ducks, Shorebirds, Blackbirds, etc.
• Febuary 5^th, 2009
       Jim Blaugh contributes a photo of a horned lizard: Desert Horned Lizard
• January 28^th, 2009
       Arizonensis now has 800 pages of Arizona Natural History! Stripe-tailed Scorpion
• January 21^st, 2009
       Butterflies of many kinds brighten the Sonoran Desert. Butterflies and Moths
• January 12^th, 2009
       The Sonoran Desert is home to plenty of multi-legged creatures. Spiders et al.
• December 30^th, 2008
       Bugs, aphids and plant hoppers in the Sonoran Desert. True Bugs.
• December 23^rd, 2008
       Wasps and Bee thumbnails all on one page: Including Ants.
• December 11^th, 2008
       Beetle thumbnails all on one page: Amazing Beetles.
• Dec 1^st, 2008:
       Much of the Sonoran Desert is Basin & Range with recent volcanic activity.   Lava in the Desert at Painted Rock.
• November 18^th, 2008
       Desert squirrels deal with extended drought, searing hot temperatures, starvation, and on top of that, Bot Flies.
• Nov 10^th, 2008
       John Gunn, resource manager at Spur Cross Conservation Area contributed a great photo of a Desert Tortoise.
• October 31^st, 2008
       Queen Butterflies with their languid, seemingly carefree flight, belie the intense struggle to survive they must endure. Example: Tachinid Parasites.
• October 22^nd, 2008
       This snazzy outfit is actually good for hiding out in. Elegant Katydid.
• October 10^th, 2008
       J. B. S. Haldane reportedly stated that The Creator has in ‘inordinate fondness for beetles.’ Large Metalic Wood-boring Beetle .
• Oct. 2^nd, 2008
       With so many yellow composites, some natuarlists are happy with 'Yellow Composite!': Page 1  Page 2   Page 3
• September 24^th, 2008
       This grasshopper of the Sonoran Desert Summer displays every color of the rainbow! Poecilotettix sanguineus.
• Sep. 17^th, 2008
       This giant member of the grass family is becoming a giant problem. Giant Reed.
• Sep. 11^th, 2008
       Many citrus family members have a pleasant aroma. Few, however, find this one to their liking: Turpentine Broom.
• September 4^th, 2008
       Woolly Bursage is a plant cattle seem to hate, but these beetles love it. Ambrosia Leaf Beeltes.
• August 27^th, 2008
       The Sonoran Desert Naturalist has been growing steadily for 15 years. Recently the 700^th page was added! Ash-throated Flycatcher.
• August 19^th, 2008
       Late at night in the Sonoran Desert National Monument I observed this wonderful stick insect: Creosote Bush Walking Stick.
• Aug. 13^th, 2008
       Native plants are the foundation of a vibrant Sonoran Desert community: Desert Broom Ecology.
• Aug. 7^th, 2008
       These small black bugs are common on Desert Tobacco: Negro Bugs.
• Aug. 4^th, 2008
       This shrub with three shiny leaves is not poison ivy: Hop Tree.
• July 21^th, 2008
       A surprising, troubling and economically usefull insect: Cochineal Scale.
• June 11^th, 2008
       Native plants are the foundation of a vibrant Sonoran Desert community: Goodding's Willow Ecology.
• June 9^th, 2008
       A clear favorite tree for many people in Arizona: Net-leaf Hackberry.
• June 5^st, 2008
       Many plant species must be examined with a good magnifying glass for accurate identification: Wingnut Cryptantha nutlets.
• May 21^st, 2008
       When flowers put on a red dress it means they will likely gain attention from a hummingbird! Cardinal Monkeyflower.
• May 2^nd, 2008:
       Outdoor enthusiasts find that freedom from noise and freedom from restrictions collide at   Hassayampa Box Canyon.
• April 30^th, 2008
       Appearing as dollops of orange sherbert these spring flowers don't last long once the summer heat returns - like this Coulter's Globe Mallow.
• April 24^th, 2008
       So many shades of yellow in the Sonoran Desert - like this Desert Evening Primrose.
• Apr. 21^st, 2008
       This arachnid really likes eating termites. But people still have trouble accepting this enemy of their enemy as a friend: Arizona Bark Scorpion
• April 3^rd, 2008
       Snow in the Sonoran Desert does not last long in the heat of the day. Evening Snow
• March 31^st, 2008
       Most flower's pollen is yellow, but this one has blue pollen. Why? Lesser Yellowthroat Gilia
• March 20^th, 2008
       If your busy friends could slow down just a bit and take a look they wouldn't ask why you're lying flat in the desert. White Easterbonnets
• March 11^th, 2008
       Psyllium helps keep humans regular and desert soils in place! Indianwheat
• February 20^st, 2008
       Serpent-like cactus tempts passing birds with sweet red fruit: It's how Nightblooming Cereus disperses its seeds.
• February 14^st, 2008
       This spring do yourself a treat and go out and smell a Brownfoot
• February 1^st, 2008
       Nodding spike of white flowers touched with red: Booth's Suncup
• January 30^th, 2008
       A quintesential desert plant: Wand Holdback
• January 16^th, 2008:
       Will the Solitude be Broken at   Buckeye Hills?
• Jan. 11^th, 2008
       Sonoran Desert Plant Guide ordered by Family: Sonoran Desert Flora
• Dec. 20^th, 2007
       Water Strider on Ice: Gerrids
• Nov 30^th, 2007
       Expanding the Plant Family pages for the the Sonoran Desert Field Guide: Sonoran Desert Sumacs
• Oct 31^st, 2007
       Expanding the Plant Family pages for the the Sonoran Desert Field Guide: Sonoran Desert Borages
• Oct 18^th, 2007
       Ancient, cone-bearing shrub: Long-leaf Joint-Fir
• Oct 10^th, 2007
       Plant families, like human families, also have more in common than just a name: Sonoran Desert Nyctaginaceae
• Oct 3^rd, 2007
       Looking for Velvet in the Desert: Yellow Feltplant
• Sept. 26^th, 2007
       Is this the World's worst weed?: Purple Nutsedge
• Aug. 27^th, 2007
       This weed is listed as "edible". What does it tast like? Desert Horse-purslane
• Aug. 27^th, 2007
       Here's another very delicate and attractive grass native to the Sonoran Desert: Needle Grass
• Aug. 23^rd, 2007
       These bright red berries are rather tasty and certainly not poisonous: Wolfberries
• Aug. 20^th, 2007
       Finding Silver in the Sonoran Desert: Narrow-leaf Silverbush
• July 17^th, 2007
       What would a desert be without thorny plants? This is the one of the Sonoran Desert's most common species: Graythorn
• July 15^th, 2007
       These small spiders are common on the walls of homes in the Sonoran Desert: Wall Spider
• June 18^th, 2007
       Oleander Shrubs in Arizona could be wiped out: Smoketree Sharpshooter
• June 12^th, 2007
       Native Fire Ant photo by Dale Ward  Sting Hard!
• May 30^th, 2007
       Beautiful, tropical duck:    Black-bellied Whistling-Duck
• May 8^th, 2007
       Black smudges on Bermuda Grass are Smut Teleospores
• April 25^th, 2007
       Butterflies Sipping Sap: Arizona Sisters
• April 6^th, 2007
       Adding more pages to the field guide: Cane Cholla,  Emory Oak,  Narrowleaf Goldenbush,  and  Owl's Clover.
• March 3^rd, 2007
       Brightly colored aphids are   probably poisonous to birds
• January 12^th, 2007
       Where the Sonoran Desert meets Inland Chaparral:  Mountain Mahogany
• December 28^th, 2006
       You know you're a plant lover when you get excited upon finding a new shrub species that is  Plain and Inconspicuous
• December 4^th, 2006
       Smooth, Succulent, Sage-Green Stems.   Desert Milkweed
• November 29^th, 2006
       A Touch of the Mojave.   The Joshua Tree
• November 14^th, 2006
       The Pygmy Blue may be the    smallest of all butterflies
• November 6^th, 2006
       Sometimes even good insurance doesn't work:    Lynx Takes Queen
• September 27^th, 2006
       The Sonoran Desert is Home to a surprising number of beautiful butterflies:    California Checkerspot
• September 20^th, 2006
       A spiny cucumber with big black seeds:    Big Root
• September 12^th, 2006
       The Sonoran Desert ecosystem has many players:    Hop Bush
• September 8^th, 2006
       Only Bumblebee common in the Sonoran Desert:    Sonoran Bumblebee
• September 7^th, 2006
       Details under magnification - like a schizocarp.    Sida
• August 30^th, 2006
       Not really dangerous, but it can squirt you!   Leaf-footed Bug
• July 21^st, 2006
       Inspirational art work by   Frances Plagens
• July 1^st, 2006
        Check out this Beautiful Boy Bee:   Green Halictid Bee
• May 17^th, 2006
        Digital photos are just too easy. Let's try some more watercolors instead: Snapdragon Bush and Paper Flower
• April 16^th, 2006
        A bit out of place in the Sonoran Desert: Cliff Chipmunk
• Feb. 1^st, 2006 
      Quite common, but might go unnoticed: Brickel Bush
• Jan 15^th, 2006:
       Chaparral in the Sonoran: Shrub Live Oak -do you like this pen & ink?
• Oct, 8^th, 2005:
       Dragonfies: Filligree Skimmer, Red Rock Skimmer, Variegated Meadowhawk and Gray Sand Dragon
• Sept. 15^th, 2005:
       Lowland Leopard Frog: Uncommon Frog.
• June 30^th, 2005:
       Metalic Woodboring Beetle   Armor-plated, aeronautical gems
• June 19^th, 2005:
       Gambel's Quail   Life can be dangerous for these lovely, tasty birds
• June 12^th, 2005:
       Puncture Vines   Don't Step on Me!
• June 11^th, 2005:
       Miniature Agaves?   Rock Echeveria
• May 22^nd, 2005:
       Saguaro in bloom.   Added photos of saguaro cactus flowers
• May 18^th, 2005:
       Round-tail Ground Squirrel   Not a gopher! Not a prairie dog either.
• January 30^th, 2005:
       Mojave Desert Star   Beautiful Dwarf Wildflower
• January 24^th, 2005:
       KOFA Moutains & Palm Canyon   Spring Spectacular
• December 22^nd, 2004:
       Canyon Tree Frog   Camouflaged and hard to see.
• November 7^th, 2004:
        Giant Crab Spider   Scary, but not dangerous.
• June 14^th, 2004:
        Giant Hairy Scorpion   Scary, but not dangerous.
• May 23^rd, 2004:
        Roadrunner.   Beep! Beep!
• May 19^th, 2004:
        Largest Flowering Plant in the USA: Fremont Cottonwood
• Mar. 12^th, 2004:
        Don't weigh yourself with this waxy scale!
• Feb. 26^th, 2004:
        Dainty Sulphur A Lovely Tiny Butterfly!
• Oct. 25^th, 2003:
        Mediterranean Gecko Go!
• Oct. 11^th, 2003:
        Mojave Aster Go! and Centaury Go! - new wildflowers in fieldguide section.
• Aug. 24^th, 2003:
        Colorful Tiger Rattlesnake at Piestewa Peak. Go!
• June 22^nd, 2003:
        Enigma - Mystery and Wonder in the Desert Southwest.Go!
• June 9^th, 2003:
        Globe Mallow's hue is a springtime favorite. Go!
• April 23^rd, 2003:
        Hillside, Arizona: A rattlesnake (mojave?) is encouraged to remove itself from the roadway. Go!
• March 16^th, 2003:
        Tonopah, Arizona: Saddle Mountain and Palo Verde Hills Go!
• January 11^th, 2003:
        Arizona Registry of Big Trees. Arizona is home to 72 species that are largest of their kind in the United States. Go!
• November 9^th, 2002:
        Almanac of News articles arranged on Yearly Calendar. Go!
• October 13^th, 2002:
        Fall Wildflowers at Vulture Peak   Go!
• September 15^th, 2002:
        Desert Warfare! Army Ants on the warpath!   Go!
• September 12^th, 2002:
        The Field Guide has been expanded with more pictures of animals such as insects and birds.   Go!
• August 11^th, 2002:
        New page about the Goldfield Moutains near Apache Junction, AZ   Go!
• August 6^th, 2002:
        Chain Fruit Cholla in Field Guide: Picture and description.  Go!
• June 9^th, 2002:
        New photos in Field Guide: A stately Saguaro Cactus poised above the city of Phoenix, Arizona.  Go!
• May 1^st, 2002:
       Papago Park, a convenient desert preserve and home to the Phoenix Zoo and the Desert Botanical Gardens.   Go!

Copyright Michael J. Plagens, 1999-2013