Nature's Neighbors ~ Signing off for now

Due to the lack of interest and activity on this blog, we will discontinue posts for now.  If you have been following Nature's Neighbors, and would like to see it continued, please sign up to "follow" this blog and send us a message telling us you would like it active again. You can also find our page on FaceBook and follow us there if you like.
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Back Into Nature                                             Bye-bye!

Nature's Neighbors ~ Common Raven

Being one of my most beloved birds, I had trouble keeping this write-up short.  There’s just so much to admire in this wonderful creature.  So leave your old wives tales and superstitions behind to learn the truth about these black beauties, and if you get the opportunity to watch them for a while, you’ll enjoy the show.

 
Adult in N.M.                                             photo by Ann Womer

Corvus corax is the largest member of the scientific order Passeriformes (the songbirds, such as the Northern Cardinal).  At maturity, the Common Raven averages 25 inches in length and 2.6 pounds. They live about 10 to 15 years in the wild, although life spans of up to 40 years in captivity have been recorded. They usually do not breed until they are 2-4 years old and typically mate for life. Pairs stay together year round, roosting near one another at night.  Historically, they used cliffs and trees as nesting sites and still do, however, power towers, bridges, and other man-made structures are also used now. Nest sites are often re-used for many years, though nests may be reconstructed or built anew.

Common Ravens aren’t as social as crows; young, unmated birds may travel in loose flocks, but except for landfills or other food bonanzas, you will tend to see them alone or in pairs.  Ravens are confident, inquisitive birds that strut about or occasionally bound forward with light, two-footed hops that resemble skipping. In flight they are playful, buoyant and graceful, interspersing soaring, tumbling, gliding, and slow flaps, and usually vocalizing.

 
Pair in flight

This intriguing bird has done well accompanying people around the Northern Hemisphere for centuries, following their wagons, sleighs and hunting parties in hopes of a quick snack, and more recently by raiding vehicles for goodies and using our landfills and backyards to find a free meal.

 
Pair in a Colorado campground

They are believed by some to be the smartest of all birds, gaining a reputation for solving very complicated problems invented for them by the creative scientists who study them.  If adaptability is any sign of intelligence, then the Common Raven ranks as a superstar: They are found worldwide, thriving from Siberia to North Africa, and in the western hemisphere, from Alaska to Central America.  They have proven their ingenuity and survival skills by being the only species of bird found on the Christmas Bird Count in the month of December in Point Barrow Alaska, and it is one of a very few birds that are encountered by climbers up on Mt. Everest.

 
Pair in Alaska

Being omnivorous, opportunistic feeders has enabled the raven to survive in such diversity of habitat within it’s enormous range worldwide. They take food wherever they find it, and for them that can range from, carrion, reptiles, amphibians, bird eggs and young, insects, plant matter and garbage. Sometimes pairs will actively hunt together where one bird flushes out the prey and other catches it.

Some physical features and behaviors of the Common Ravens will help to keep you from confusing them with crows and the smaller Chihuahuan Raven.  Look for the Common Raven's heftier bill, shaggy throat feathers, more slender, pointed wings, and longer, wedge-shaped tail, and listen to the vocalizations.  The smaller Chihuahuan Raven found in southern and west Texas has a shorter bill, longer feathers around the bill, and less deep voice. Where these two species overlap, the Chihuahuan Raven tends to be in open areas at lower elevations and the Common Raven in more forested areas at higher elevations.

 American Crow    









Common Raven

 Unlike crows, Common Ravens also are adept at and take great pleasure in play during flight, rolling and tumbling with one another, particularly during courtship.   Another useful behavior clue is this: ravens frequently cruise along roads looking for carrion, often waiting their turn with vultures. Crows don't typically do this, so if you see a bird flying right down the middle of a road, it's probably a raven.

So remember to think about this when viewing these beautiful animals, you’re probably not the only one doing the watching, Ravens are always keen to learn new things and are being just as inquisitive as you are!

Nature's Neighbors ~ Eastern Blacknecked Garter Snake

This beautiful snake is diurnal, or active during the day, but it is also very shy, so if you catch a glimpse of one, feel privileged.  In Texas, Thamnophis cyrtopsis ocellatus is restricted to the Edwards Plateau of the Hill Country, and for good reason. These snakes prefer fairly dry, rocky habitat near a steady water supply, which they are not very picky about.  Water from a sprinkler, pet water bowl or birdbath will suffice as a water supply, as long as it’s constant and they can drink a bit every few days. Habitat with limestone boulders and rock piles, are ideal places for this species. Besides Texas, they are also found in New Mexico, Arizona, and much of Mexico (except along the arid gulf coast lowlands).

Juvenile

 

 Blacknecks typically feed near a water source. This is because their preferred food is amphibians. Cliff chirping frogs, and gulf coast toads are their prey of choice. In non-drought years in the summer, there are many young toads in the leaf litter that probably provide plenty of nutritious food.  Slimy salamanders play some part in their diets as well as they have been documented feeding on slimy salamanders with apparent relish.  Last on the list of choice food items is fish. In a case where amphibians are not as abundant as normal, they will hunt small fish.

Predators include coral snakes, roadrunners, raccoons, opossums, foxes, ravens, crows, and  birds of prey.  Humans impact garter snake habitat by development and by the spillage or dumping of toxic chemicals. Development has not greatly impacted the eastern blackneck due to their preference of rocky hillsides and cliffs, and hopefully the populations in inaccessible areas will be unaffected by development for years to come, but chemical pollution is another story. Since the amphibian prey that this species rely on are often poisoned by human chemical dumps (i.e.: fertilizer and pesticide runoff, oil, gas, etc.), the garter population is doubtless affected as well, either directly by lack of prey, or indirectly, by absorbing toxins from eating them.

Adult

 This is a very beautiful and non-venomous species of snake that is just living it’s life and steering clear of humans, so you should leave them unmolested and enjoy them! 

Nature's Neighbors ~ Texas Persimmon

During this enduring, exceptional statewide drought, we will feature a Texas native that so far, has needed no watering help to survive.

Texas Persimmon or Diospyros texana is one of our state’s premier small trees. The bark of mature specimens peels away to reveal shades of gray, white and pink on the trunk underneath, rivaling the beauty of the Texas Madrone.  

 

 It is extremely drought-tolerant and disease-resistant, it’s leaves are of low preference to white-tailed deer and in landscaping it is ideal for small spaces in full sun.  It grows best in shallow, rocky limestone soils, and in the Edwards Plateau it can make heavy thickets which serve as cover for wildlife.  North of the Rio Grande Valley where winters are cold, it is usually deciduous.

Flowers appear in March and April and are arranged singly or in small clusters among the new leaves, male and female on separate plants. The fruits, borne on female trees are fleshy, round and up to 1 inch in diameter.  From late July into September they turn black and soft,  ripening sweet and edible with a flavor some liken to prunes. The fruit pulp produces an indelible black stain and is still used as a dye.

 

Several characteristics enable Texas persimmon to survive in semiarid environments.  The broad upwardly inclined leaves and smooth bark with low water retention serve to funnel rainwater down the stems.  Like most drought tolerant plants Texas persimmon grows slowly, it reaches only two to three and a half feet in height after five years. Normally 10-15 feet tall at maturity, it can reach 35 feet in the southern parts of its range.   

Appearance can vary widely depending on whether the plant has been pruned or left to grow naturally, which is multi-trunked and shrubby with a round shape.

 Wildlife use Texas persimmon for food, shelter, and cover.  Coyote, raccoon, ringtail, foxes, deer, peccary and other mammals and birds eat the fruit, and it is a larval host to the Gray hairstreak and Henrys Elfin butterfly.

We heartily encourage switching your landscaping to natives planted in the ground that are able to withstand going without water for longer periods of time than the typical moisture dependent plants and trees that nurseries sell.  Planting Texas persimmon is one way to start! 

Nature's Neighbors~Summer Hiatus

Thanks to all of you who have been sharing fun facts about the natural world around us.  We will be taking a break for the summer, and will be back with new and interesting neighbors in September!  
See you then!

Nature's Neighbors ~ Ringtail

A Ringtail is a carnivore resembling a small fox with a long flattened tail that is banded with 14 to 16 alternating black and white rings and a black tip.  They have five toes on each foot that are armed with sharp, curved, non-retractable claws.  They are nocturnal, very timid, and rarely seen, and as adults these mammals lead solitary lives, generally coming together only to mate.

Commonly, but incorrectly called Ring-tailed Cat and Miner’s Cat , they are not felines at all, but are members of the Procyonidae family along with raccoons and coatimundis.  They are distributed statewide, but are uncommon in the upper panhandle, the lower Rio Grande Valley and Coastal Plains of southern Texas.  They weigh from 1-2 pounds and are two feet in length (including the tail) and in the wild they will live around 6-9 years.

Ringtail mate in the spring. The gestation period is 45–50 days, during which the male will provide food for the female. There will be on average, 2-4 cubs in a litter, and by the age of four months they are hunting for themselves and are indistinguishable from adults except for their smaller size.  Being omnivorous, they will eat just about anything if it’s the right size. Depending on season, their food choices are fruit, insects, arachnids, lizards, snakes, small mammals, as well as birds and bird eggs.  Ringtail predators include, but are not limited to, Great horned owls, bobcats, and coyotes.

Ringtail are excellent climbers capable of ascending vertical walls, trees, rocky cliffs and even cacti. They have excellent eyesight as well as hearing, both helpful adaptations for a nocturnal animal.  Ringtail live in a variety of habitats within their range, but they have a decided preference for rocky areas such as stone walls and piles, canyon walls, and talus slopes. They can rotate their hind feet 180 degrees, giving them a good grip for descending those same structures.  They occur less commonly in woodland areas where they live in hollow trees and logs, and they are also known to live in buildings. Being such good  climbers, they have little difficulty in searching out and denning in well-protected crevices, crannies, and hollows.  The Ringtail prefers to live in habitats associated with water.

Proving itself an effective mouser, miners and early settlers once kept Ringtail as pets to keep their cabins free of vermin; hence, the incorrect common names mentioned above.  Often a small box with a hole was provided and placed near a heat source as a dark, warm place for the animal to sleep during the day, not to come out until after dark to rid the cabin of mice.

Nature's Neighbors ~ Spotted Gar

 The Spotted gar or Lepisosteus oculatus, is one of three gar species native to Texas. These are fresh water fish that are long and cylindrical with elongated mouths and can grow to a length of up to 3 feet and weigh up to 8 pounds.  Their long, snout-like mouth is lined with strong, sharp teeth, and their body is covered with thick, diamond-shaped scales. Spotted gar may be distinguished from other Texas gar species by the dark roundish spots on the top of the body, head and fins.   They have an extensive range and can be found from central Texas east into western Florida then north through the Mississippi River drainage into Illinois, the lower Ohio River, and the Lake Erie drainage.

Gar are often seen basking just below the surface of the water in calm, weedy areas.  They move casually but deliberately, and when hunting they are stalkers, slowly following behind prey until they rapidly strike from the side. Fry feed primarily on insect larvae and tiny crustaceans, but fish appear on the diet of young gar very early. Prey is swallowed headfirst. Spotted gar are eaten by larger fish, alligators, herons, cottonmouth snakes and occasionally, humans.

This fish requires clear vegetated water, but unfortunately habitats such as this are rapidly disappearing in its range.  Disturbance of and encroachment on waterways and lakes negatively impact this species.  They do have a specialized swim bladder which allows them to gulp air at the waters surface and live in the poorly oxygenated back waters of Texas' streams, swamps and lakes.  They also sometimes enter brackish (saltier) waters along the Gulf Coast, but do not live there.

The long-lived gar has a life span of up to 18 years. They spawn from April to May in shallow water with low flow and heavy vegetation. The roe (or egg mass) is highly toxic to humans, animals, and birds.  The number of eggs varies greatly, but upwards to 20,000 adhesive eggs are attached to aquatic plants. Fry hatch after 10 to 14 days and have specialized pads on their upper jaws that allow them to adhere to vegetation. They remain attached to plants until they are about ¾ of an inch long. The pad is lost when the last of the yolk sac is absorbed.

A large gar can eat a lot of fish, including catfish, causing them to compete with some anglers. Because of that competition and because many people incorrectly think gar are difficult to clean, they are sometimes called a "trash" fish.  This term is not warranted when you consider that spotted gar were here long before the fishermen, and like all native species, have an important role to play in their ecosystem and the food chain.

Nature's Neighbors ~ Rio Grande Leopard Frog

Native from central Texas, to New Mexico (where it is listed as vulnerable), south through Mexico to Vera Cruz, this frog of arid regions is highly aquatic and typically a stream dweller. However, it will utilize a variety of permanent water sources such as rivers, artificial ponds, cattle tanks, and agricultural irrigation ditches. Though seldom found away from water, they can survive short periods of dryness under rocks and by burrowing.

Adults can be 2-4 inches in length, and can be seen out during the day, but more likely at night. Active all year long except in periods of low temperature, Rio Grande Leopard Frogs shelter under rocks and in streamside vegetation. They are insectivorous, but like most frogs, will eat almost anything they can overpower and swallow.  Tadpoles feed on algae, inorganic particles, and diatoms and are strong and adapted to swimming in streams against a current.

The males make a rattling call which is loud enough to be heard a quarter mile or more away.   Mating occurs during the rainy periods of the spring and fall.  Egg masses are attached to submerged vegetation. Tadpoles have been observed over-wintering in warmer parts of their range.

Like all amphibians, they absorb much through their skin, making them extremely vulnerable to any toxin (such as herbicides and pesticides) introduced into the habitat in which they live, and are an indicator of problems with the environment.  Their greatest threats are all from humans, namely pollution, habitat destruction, and over-collection.

They are beneficial because they eat many of the insect pests that live among us and carry diseases, and in turn are preyed upon by larger animals in the food chain. We must not abuse these animals but allow them to live freely within their habitat, and appreciate the benefits they afford us.

Nature's Neighbors ~ Tarantula Hawk

This neighbor is neither a tarantula, nor a hawk, but is a very interesting insect. Both genera Hemipepsis and Pepsis are called "Tarantula Hawks".  They are indistinguishable in the field and have very similar life histories.  Four species of Hemipepsis and 15 of Pepsis are found in North America.  At least nine different species of the wasp inhabit the desert lands of the southwest. Pepsis formosa, and Pepsis thisbe, the most northern ranging, are probably the two most common.  

Tarantula Hawks occur wherever tarantulas are found and females give these wasps their common name.  Like all members of this genus, they require a spider to serve as food host for their larvae.  Male wasps engage in a behavior called "hill-topping," where they perch on taller vegetation or high points. They are strongly territorial at these sites because of the good view of the surrounding area and in particular, of females which may be receptive to mating.

Body length measures up to two inches, and are metallic blue-black with wings that are rust or mahogany, or occasionally black, in color.  This is another group of insects which have aposematic coloring – that is, conspicuous bright coloring – which warns potential predators that this is a meal that might be more painful than it is worth.  Only a few animals, Greater Roadrunners being one, eat tarantula hawks.

A female wasp finds a tarantula by running across the ground to locate a burrow to draw a spider out of, or she may also encounter a male tarantula in the open during his search for a mate.  Once stung, the tarantula is paralyzed (not killed) within seconds, and the condition will last for the remainder of its life.   If the wasp found her victim underground, she will drag it back into its own burrow and lay a single egg on the spider’s abdomen, then seal the chamber. If the wasp succeeds in stinging a male tarantula on a mating hunt, she will excavate a burrow, drag the paralyzed spider inside, lay her single egg, and seal the chamber.  After going through metamorphosis, the new adult wasp will emerge from the burrow the following season.

Tarantula hawks are most active in the summer during the day, although they avoid the highest temperatures.  The wasps consume nectar and other sugars, and they have been known to become "drunk" and unable to fly after consuming fermented fruit.  Their stings are considered to be the most painful of any North American insect, but they will ignore you and your pets, and may be observed at a very close range if they are left unmolested.  

Nature’s Neighbors ~ Western Scrub Jay/ Texas Scrub Jay

The Western Scrub Jay is a member of the Corvidae family to which various crows, ravens, and jays belong. Like its fellow corvids, they are extremely vocal, having more than 20 separate types of calls.  A year-round resident throughout West and Central Texas, this jay inhabits scrub oak and juniper woodlands as well as wooded suburban areas.  While many refer to scrub-jays as "blue jays", the Blue Jay is an entirely different species of bird not generally found in the scrub jay’s range.

Western Scrub Jays enjoy an extremely varied diet of insects, seeds, carrion, and fruit.  They also have a mischievous streak, and are skilled thieves. They’ve been seen stealing acorns from Acorn Woodpecker caches, and from others of their own species.  When these birds go to hide their own acorns, they check first that no other jays are watching.  Never one to pass up an easy meal, they will willingly come to the yard for unshelled peanuts, cracked corn and sunflower seeds.  They also enjoy birdbaths and water features.

Western Scrub-Jays are great to watch because they’re so animated.  Often found in flocks during winter, these birds are vocal and playful. During the breeding season they staunchly defend territories from other scrub-jays by flying at them, calling, and occasionally pecking or grappling. Pairs stay together throughout the year.

Recent research has suggested that Western Scrub-Jays, along with several other corvids, are among the most intelligent of animals. The brain-to-body mass ratio of adult Scrub Jays rivals that of chimpanzees and cetaceans, and is dwarfed only by that of humans. Scrub Jays are also the only non-primate shown to plan ahead for the future, which was previously thought of as a uniquely human trait.  Other studies have shown that they can remember locations of over 200 food caches, as well as the food item in each cache and its rate of decay.

Nature's Neighbors ~ Western Cottonmouth

Agkistrodon piscivorus leucostoma  is the subspecies of Cottonmouth found in the south central United States. It is the smallest of the three subspecies and tends to be darker in color.  It ranges from southern Alabama along the coast of the Gulf of Mexico, including many offshore islands, to southeastern and central Texas and north to Oklahoma, Missouri, Illinois and Indiana.  This species most well known name is Water Moccasin, but it best to not use it to avoid confusion, as there are also terrestrial moccasin species, such as the Copperhead.

Although they are found into West Texas, Western Cottonmouths are more numerous in the eastern third of the state, preferring lowland swamps, lakes, rivers, sloughs, irrigation ditches, rice fields and salt marshes, but they are not confined to living in moist habitats. Frogs, fish, smaller snakes (including other cottonmouths), small water birds, small mammals, carrion, and sometimes fish on stringers make up the cottonmouth's diet. 

Despite its formidable appearance and nasty reputation, it often chooses to flee or freeze open mouthed in threat, rather than to coil and strike. The snake's threatening gesture of exposing the white tissue of the inside of its mouth has earned its popular name. When startled, they have been known to vibrate their tails against vegetation, making you aware of their presence, they can also secrete a foul smelling musk.  As with all snakes, they avoid contact with humans or any other possible predator. But like any animal, when threatened, cottonmouths will attack to protect themselves.  Only seven percent of all Texas snakebite cases involve cottonmouths. Throughout the United States, less than one percent of all deaths by snakebite have been caused by cottonmouths.  Almost all bites by cottonmouths involve snakes purposely touched or molested in some way.

They are generally active from March through December and have also been seen on warm days in January and February. They hibernate along hillsides and upland areas above streams, usually under large roots, in burrows, or in rock crevices. In spring and fall, snakes are most active during the warmer part of the day, whereas in summer they are most active at dusk or at night. 

Nature's Neighbors ~ Honey Mesquite

Honey Mesquite is a common shrub/ small tree of the Southwest. Some specimens can grow to larger size, especially if growing in moist bottomlands.  Like many other members of the legume family, mesquite beneficially restores nitrogen to the soil.

Mesquites are deciduous and have characteristic bean pods which have long been used by humans, wildlife and livestock as a food source. It is estimated that over 75% of a Coyote's diet in late summer is mesquite beans. It is an extremely hardy, drought-tolerant plant because it can draw moisture from the water table through its long taproot, one of which was found in an underground copper mine 190 feet below ground!  It can also use water in the upper part of the ground through it’s shallow subsurface roots, depending upon availability. The tree can easily and rapidly switch from using one water source to the other. 

small specimen in arid cimate

Cattlemen regard mesquite as range weeds and eradicate them. But much of the invasion of mesquite into former grasslands where it did not grow a century ago, is ironically, due to the overgrazing of domestic cattle.  By contrast, this versatile tree has long been a welcome presence in the larders, livestock feed bins, workshops, gardens and medicine cabinets of many desert residents. 

During the inevitable droughts and deprivations of desert frontier days, the mesquite trees served up the primary food source for caravans and settlers.  During the Civil War, when groceries often ran short, mesquite beans served as passable coffee. The beans were also durable enough for years of storage and became the livestock feed of choice when pastureland grasses failed due to drought or overgrazing.  Native Americans relied on the mesquite pod as a dietary staple from which they made tea, syrup and a ground meal called pinole. They also used the bark for basketry, fabrics and medicine. Mesquite blooms, pollinated by bees, yield a very tasty honey (hence the name Honey Mesquite) and feed adult butterflies.  The leaves serve as food for butterfly larvae.

large tree near a waterway

Although often crooked in shape, mesquite tree branches, stable and durable, filled needs for wood during the construction of Spanish missions, colonial haciendas, ranch houses and fencing.  Artisans use it in the crafting of furniture, flooring, paneling and sculptures, and in some areas mesquites provide a bountiful harvest of wood for use in fireplaces and barbecue grills.

So weather you see them as an uninvited interloper or welcome neighbor, the mesquites have proven that they belong in the Southwest.

Nature's Neighbors ~ Mexican Free-tailed Bat

Mexican free-tailed bats are a medium-sized bat with short, velvety, reddish to black-colored fur, broad ears, large feet, and the end of its tail extending beyond the edge of it’s tail membrane, hence the name “free-tailed”.  They occupy a wide variety of habitats, ranging from desert communities through pinion-juniper woodland and pine-oak forests, at elevations from sea level to 9,000 feet or more. The largest U.S. populations of free-tailed bats live in the West.  The densest concentrations are found in Texas where they form maternity colonies which are found in limestone caves, abandoned mines, under bridges, and in buildings, but smaller colonies also have been found in hollow trees. It is estimated that 100-million Mexican free-tailed bats come to Central Texas each year to raise their young, the largest colony is currently found living in Bracken Cave near San Antonio, Texas, totaling over 20 million.  Nursing females require large quantities of insects that are high in fat, which they obtain by consuming egg-laden moths.

The 100 million free-tailed bats living in Central Texas caves consume approximately 1,000 TONS of insects each night.  Researchers use Doppler weather radar to watch emerging bats ascend to altitudes of 1,000-10,000 feet to feed on migrating cotton boll worm moths, army cut-worm moths, and other costly agricultural pests that migrate north from Mexico. These migratory moths hopscotch across the country each year, reaching rich agricultural land as far north as the Canadian border. The cotton boll-worm moth (a.k.a. corn ear-worm moth) alone, costs American farmers a billion dollars annually.   Although the ecological and economic impacts of large colonies are most obvious, even small colonies of bats can significantly impact local insect populations. Mexican free-tailed bats also consume enormous quantities of insects over woodlands and forests, likely including many additional pests.  

The impact of second hand pesticide poisoning of free-tails and other bats should not be underestimated, but it seems certain that this is probably not the major stress responsible for the decline of free-tailed bat populations. In a recent review of the effects of environmental contaminants on bat populations, it seems quite evident that much of the decline in free-tailed bat populations is directly due to human disturbance and roost site destruction.  It is important to preserve those colonies which still thrive. The apparent good condition of several large roosts is clearly due almost entirely to the fact that access to them is restricted by land owners who appreciate the unique resource with which they are entrusted.

Current initiatives by Bat Conservation International, The Nature Conservancy, and the Marbach family to ensure continued protection of the site of the largest known roost in Bracken Cave are to be applauded.

So the next time that you bite into that juicy ear of corn or ripe apple, remember a bat probably  played a part in bringing it to you!

Nature's Neighbors ~ June Beetle

Ever seen a hairy beetle before?  You probably have, but don’t realize it!

The "June Bug" (or May Beetles as some call them) is a member of the scarab beetle family which has approximately 1375 species in North America.  On warm spring and summer nights, these beetles are famous for bumping into your porch lights, or you if you get in the way of their clumsy flying.

They are nocturnal, but during the day they hide in the shade of leaf litter, in cracks or under things on the ground around your home to stay cool and out of sight of lizards and birds, their main predators.  The adults are  ½ to 5/8 inches long, reddish brown in color and feed on the foliage of trees and shrubs.  White "C"-shaped larvae (grubs), are up to 1 inch long, with cream-colored bodies and brown head capsules and feed on the roots of grasses and other plants.

The insects pupate (change from grub to beetle) underground in the fall.  There is one generation per year, but in colder climates, development may take two years. Adults begin to emerge in spring. During adult flights large numbers of beetles can be attracted to lights. Peak flights occur in mid to late June in central Texas, but if the weather is warm, you will start to see them as early as March.  They may cause significant plant damage if they emerge in large numbers.    

Humans who go to great pains to have “perfect” lawns may consider them a pest species, as the larvae can damage turf grasses, but as far as their natural predators in the food chain are concerned, they are irreplaceable as a food source!

Nature's Neighbors ~ Black-chinned Hummingbird

A small green-backed hummingbird of the West that has no brilliant colors on its throat except a thin strip of iridescent purple bordering the black chin, which is only visible when light hits it just right. Black-chinned Hummingbirds are exceptionally widespread, found from deserts to mountain forests. Their breeding range is broad with the highest concentration of birds being in central Texas.

                     

Most often seen at feeders or perched on dead branches in tall trees. This hummingbird is a habitat generalist, found in lowland deserts and mountainous forests, and from natural habitats into very urbanized areas as long as there are tall trees and flowering shrubs and vines and nectar feeders.

Male Black-chins usually arrive on breeding grounds one to two weeks prior to the females to establish territories which they will defend by perching themselves on a high branch to keep watch for intruders. If food supply in their area is abundant, they will share a territory with several other males.

                     

Being small, hummingbirds have a large surface area to volume ratio, thus lose heat quickly, like a car running constantly, but with a very small gas tank.  To replace the lost heat energy, hummingbirds must eat great quantities of high energy foods about 15 times an hour.  Hummingbirds may consume nectar weighing over 8 times their body weight per day! Because nectar is mostly water, this actually is equivalent to close to their body weight in solid food each day.  Hummingbirds will starve to death in just two hours when their engines are running, so at night and other times they cannot feed, they must enter a state of torpor in which they slow down their heart rate and let their body temperature drop close to the outside temperature.  During torpor, hummingbirds reduce their energy and water expenditures dramatically, allowing them to survive.

Nature's Neighbors ~ Texas Rat Snake

This large non-venomous snake is found from the bayous of Louisiana through the prairies and Hill Country of Central Texas. It can also be found in cities such as Dallas, Fort Worth, or Houston. The single most important factor influencing the occurrence of this snake is the presence of oak trees, which they use to hunt in and also escape predators that may eat them.

It’s color is highly variable throughout it’s range and adults usually measure from 3.5 - 6 feet in length, the record length for this subspecies of Elaphe is 86" (7 feet 2 inches).

Wild Texas Rat snakes are considered to have a cranky temperament, and will often react defensively to handling by aggressively biting.  However, some individuals can be fairly docile (only biting if you move too fast), and captive-raised specimens that have been handled are usually fairly tame. 

Mr. Dave and a wild Texas Rat snake found in his yard

This species is a voracious predator of rodents of all sizes, with large adults being able to take prey up to the size of a fox squirrel.  They also prey on wild birds and their eggs, lizards, frogs and some individuals frequent chicken coops in search of eggs and chicks, earning it the local nickname “Chicken snake”.  This subspecies is a very skilled climber, able to climb trunks of trees vertically by clinging to cracks in the bark.  They are also capable swimmers, frequently hunting riverbanks from the water.  

 Most snakes in Texas are not venomous and are only trying to mind their own business and find food, water and safety, just like you!   

Nature's Neighbors ~ Dusted Skipper

Is it a moth? Is it a butterfly? No, it’s a Skipper!

This separate family in the Lepidoptera order has approximately 275 species in North America, many of which are found only in Arizona and Texas. Most skippers are small to medium size, usually orange, brown, black, white, or gray.  A few have iridescent colors. Skippers have large eyes, short antennae (often with hooked clubs), stout bodies, and three pairs of walking legs. Their flight is often rapid, making wing movement appear blurred.

Found mainly in grasslands, prairies, barrens, and old fields, adults of most species have long proboscises and feed in gardens and wild areas on floral nectar, but some also take up nutrients from bird droppings.

Caterpillars eat leaves of the North American native grasses Little and Big Bluestem, and live in tents of silked-together leaves. Fully-grown caterpillars hibernate and pupate in a sealed nest at the base of the host plant.

Just one of many reasons to reintroduce and preserve our native prairie grasses, why not plant a small plot in your yard today?  Your “Neighbors” will be glad you did!

Nature's Neigbors ~ Fence Lizard

There are many subspecies in this family, separated by range and physical characteristics.

In the eastern side of it’s range, this lizard is primarily arboreal, seldom far from a tree or wall up which it will flee to avoid danger. In the prairie states it is more terrestrial, sheltering under brush or in burrows. It will eat almost any insect including bees, and also spiders, centipedes, or snails, but beetles seem a favorite food.

Found generally in sunny locations, except during the hottest part of the day. They favor rotting logs, open woodlands, open grassy dunes, prairies, and exteriors of homes.

Fence lizards are diurnal, although they may seek shade during the hottest hours of the day, and they hibernate during the winter. They are highly territorial and  male lizards display by doing pushups and flashing their blue throats. Both sexes sun themselves near trees, on rocks, fences or walls, but remain highly alert, moving quickly for cover if disturbed.

They are very beneficial to have around your home, helping to control many “pests”.      Domestic cats are a main predator, so keeping them indoors for their benefit, and that of the wildlife around your home, would be a good choice.

Nature's Neigbors ~ Texas Toad

This 2 to 3.5 inch plump toad is a common site around homes, hunting at night for insects. They breed April to September after heavy rains, using temporary pools, livestock tanks or man-made waterholes and ditches.

Adapted for dry conditions, they are found mainly in Texas, but range into southern New Mexico, Oklahoma, Mexico and extreme south central Kansas, preferring grasslands and open woodlands.

An effective burrower, when threatened the Texas Toad disappears rapidly in loose soil, but if it cannot, it often flattens itself against the ground to avoid detection.

This toad has adapted well to living near humans, and will to soak in water bowls left outside for pets.

Nature's Neighbors ~ Giant Desert Centipede

Centipedes are distinguished from millipedes by the presence of only one pair of legs per body segment, and they usually have a flat body profile as compared to a millipede’s  “domed” shape.

Giant redheaded centipedes are not frequently observed or collected, but those that make themselves known attract a great deal of attention because of their size and fierce appearance. Specimens average about 6 ½” in length, and they may reach nearly 8” in some instances. 

All centipedes are believed to be predators. Their diet is composed primarily of insects and spiders, although some have been found feeding on toads, small snakes, and other vertebrates. The prey is captured and killed or stunned with the poison “claws” just behind the head, then each gland drains its toxic contents through a small opening near the tip of the fang.

This type of centipede lays eggs, often in cavities hollowed out in pieces of decayed wood, and then they watch over them and the juveniles that hatch. The female winds herself around the egg mass, her legs directed toward the eggs, and then the newly hatched young.

This might be one neighbor you’ll only want to wave to over the fence! 

Nature's Neighbors ~ Collared Peccary

Also called Javelina because of their razor-sharp tusks, it is Spanish for javelin or spear.

In Texas, Collared Peccaries live in the brushy semi-desert where prickly pear is a conspicuous part of the flora. They have poor eyesight but good hearing. They travel in small herds or "family groups" from six to twelve, although as many as 50 have been seen together, and seem to have a somewhat limited home range. In the winter, they are generally active in the early morning and late afternoon.  Javelina are largely nocturnal during the hotter times of the year. They feed primarily on cacti (particularly prickly pear), mesquite beans, lechuguilla, sotol, nuts, fruits, and insects.  In areas where prickly pear is abundant, peccaries seldom frequent water holes because these plants provide both food and water.

Incorrect tales of the peccary have caused hunters to kill them because of fear rather than for either sport or food. Through the exaggerated stories of the peccary’s ferociousness, it has been charged that peccaries will kill or injure dogs, and that they are a menace to deer hunters in the dense brush. It is true that encounters between peccaries and untrained dogs usually end with dead or crippled dogs, but it is also true that in these battles the dog is always the aggressor, and any animal will defend its life to the best of its ability when attacked. The peccary is absolutely harmless to the range, to livestock, and to people.

The collared peccary is the only wild ungulate of the western hemisphere with a year-round breeding season. The number of young is usually two, but litters range in size from one to five. In Texas, the peccary was hunted commercially for its hide until 1939 when it was given the status of a game animal.

A far greater value is in its relationship to range vegetation, as peccaries are able to control (by eating) certain undesirable cacti present on the many acres of overstocked rangeland.