Favoritos de juliestromberg

Piles of loose dirt and especially the deliberately-plugged tunnel opening are diagnostic for Botta's Pocket Gopher in this area. In the swimming pool area of the Wellton Microtel hotel.

~5 mm in length. Rescued from some water, dried, and flew off.

Hanging from a windchime

These have the weirdest fruits

The leaves are densly covered with stellate hairs giving them a velvety texture. Despite this a skipper butterfly larva gets past this defense: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/161521036

~6 mm body. Found with a male (see last photo) on the surface of a bucket of water on a windy day. See male here: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/152890057

On Merremia dissecta

On Clematis drummondii

Caught a white bug ~3-4 mm in length (likely a plant bug; Miridae, with long antennae) and hung suspended from the underside of a Ruellia leaf to consume it.

?

On a Meyer Lemon tree leaf near a detached blossom today, ~3-4 mm in length. Species suggested by Margarethe Brummerman on FB group SW U.S. Arthropods.

Her fifth year nesting in the same sugar sumac.

Found on a rotting orange or grapefruit peel in a compost pile. ID by Robert Velten on FB group SW U.S. Arthropods.

Host Larrea tridentata

Nectaring on Physalis hederacea; some hang on to an individual flower for up to a minute. A nice change from the usual "focus...focus...flit!"

This alate queen was found wandering on a patio alone. Measured about 1 cm in length. ID suggestion for Pogonomyrmex rugosus by Derek Uhey of FB group Hymenopterists Forum.

100% thought this was a wasp. Wish I'd grabbed better shots.

On Vitis; grapevine, measured 6 cm in length.

Came to a porch light at night. Was resting on an outside window.