We recently had an opportunity to visit Oak Creek near the Page Springs Fish Hatchery where I found a nice population of Cicindela oregona maricopatiger beetles. They were along the creek bank mating and ovipositing. In A Field Guide to the Tiger Beetles of hte United States and Canada, Pearson (et al) states that distinct individuals of this form are confined to southeastern and central Arizona and that intergrades with guttifera are common in southwestern Utah and with navajoensis in southwestern New Mexico. 

I decided to try some photos with my standard 24-85mm lens and the 25mm extension tube (remember, my 100mm macro lens is still on a field trip to Colombia, South America!). I did some fairly extensive cropping, but that is where the Canon 5D MkII’s 21mp sensor really comes in handy (there is still plenty of resolution to spare!). Here is a shot of the female laying eggs:

Cicindela oregona maricopa female ovipositing.

I watched this female dig a depression with her rear end, obviously lay an egg, and then cover the hole with soil using her rear end. The photo is during the time she was laying the egg. It was an interesting process to watch!

I didn’t use a flash on this shot, there was very nice filtered sunlight coming down on the main area of beetle activity. The depth of field as well as the focus were critical, and I ended up with a number of unusable shots, but I was very pleased with this picture. It is my best tiger beetle photo to date. Click on the image to see a larger version!

Algodones Dunes a few miles west of Glamis, CA.

We went over to the Algodones Dunes in California, northwest of Yuma, AZ last weekend to see what beetle species were out this spring. Early April is when several species endemic to the dunes fly – right at dusk. Two years ago I was able to collect a few specimens of Pseudocotalpa andrewsi in an area south of Glamis along I-8. Last year (when the above picture was taken) we were rained out. This year, I hoped to collect Pseudocotalpa sonorica which fly closer to the tops of the dunes.

We dropped off our equipment and drove to the parking area, then proceeded to set up generator, mercury vapor light, and 2 ultra-violet lights. We also hauled in jackets and food for a picnic supper! Going downhill through the deep sand wasn’t nearly as bad as hauling everything back uphill in the dark! But I am getting ahead of myself…

I received a tip that sometimes the beetles can be dug out of the sand by watching for divots which appear a little before dusk. We watched for divots but didn’t find any for a while. During our supper, I watched a bee digging a tunnel in the sand near our picnic spot. It would back up, scooting sand with it’s legs as it came out of it’s hole and continued for several inches before scurrying back into it’s hole. It would have made a great video!

My Canon 100mm macro lens and one flash are on a (possibly) year long field trip to Colombia, South America, so I wasn’t able to get any pictures of the beetles… Oh, the stories that lens is going to be able to tell!

We found a few Tenebrionids but I refrained from collecting any (for the most part). I have picked up a few here and there and already had some from Algodones at home.

As dusk approached we hiked the area looking for divots, and sure enough, we found one – one scoop and out popped Pseudocotalpa sonorica! After that, we dug tons more divots and didn’t find anything (I was warned this would happen…). We found a few more specimens by inspecting the bottom of steep dune faces, where beetles had probably emerged and rolled downhill.

Interestingly, we found a plant that drops seed pods that are almost an exact match in size, shape and color to Pseudocotalpa sonorica! The match is so uncanny that I believe there must be some kind of mimicry involved.

I left all but one small collecting vial in my truck and the parking area was a long (uphill) way away. I decided to drop the beetles in a sandwich bag in which we had packed the wrappers from our supper. I figured the trash would keep them apart and from tearing each other up. The children got into the action and found a few beetles in divots! Closer to dusk, we started finding a species of camel cricket in some of the divots – they had large feet like snowshoes for jumping on the sand. This year, we didn’t encounter any of the sand roaches that were some common last year after the rain.

Right at dusk, the beetles in the sandwich bag began trying to fly. We heard the buzzing and rustling in the bag, and suddenly as if on cue, there were beetles flying all over the dunes! We chased them (fairly unsuccessfully) for a while before realizing that most of them were flying to the lights! I started scooping them up and putting them in the bag.

There were some smaller beetles coming to the light. Scarabs in the genus Diplotaxis (as yet unidentified to species), Leptohoplia testaceipennis and Anomala hardyorum, all species restricted to these sand dunes!

(UPDATE! I examined my series of Leptohoplia testaceipennis and found that all but one were actually another endemic dune beetle – Anomala carlsoni! The two beetle species look almost identical, with only minute differences in mouth, antenna, and leg parts which must be examined under a microscope. The Diplotaxis are likely D. corbula, another dune endemic, but that will be confirmed by an expert at a later date.)

I had enough for my collection and for a few friends in 10 minutes. After that we threw all the extra beetles off the sheets and got the lights turned off  so no more would come. We packed everything up and started carrying loads up to the truck, uphill, in the dark, through deep sand… An hour later we were in Yuma at our hotel getting rid of all the sand!

I really like the dunes and wish they were closer than the 3 hour drive we have to make to get there. We were fortunate to get a night that was calm enough for the beetles to fly. This is the 4th year I have tried to collect at this location, and the only time I have encountered conditions that allowed success!

How do you take out a cactus that is 15ft tall and weighs several tons without destroying the new wildflower garden? Just like we remove any large tree! After all, stands of Saguaros in the wild are considered a “forest”. We brought in our lift and took down the cactus a piece at a time.

Each arm tip was treated gently, and will be left to callus over. They will be replanted in a month or so. If they survive, there will be three new Saguaro Cactus in place of the single giant. The interesting thing about the new cactus is that they should bloom just like the giants! Normally, Saguaros don’t bloom until they are very old – you never see blooms up close unless one blows over in a storm. These 2ft tall arms should bloom right where everyone can see them! 

These pictures show the process we went through to take the giant down.

I was able to cut the arms into sections with the hand saw. Only the ribs offered resistance.

Lowering a section into the cart.

We lowered each piece into our log cart so it could be wheeled away!

Dropping the last section of trunk.

Piecing up the trunk so it can be hauled off. The sections are tremendously heavy!

Cross-section of trunk left as an example for tour groups!

No Jerome, cactus doesn't taste good!!!

Using the techniques I have learned from many very helpful friends (like Ted MacRae!), I have been able to learn new things about a number of species of beetles. I have found out what kind of plant a certain species of beetle will use (infest). I have found beetles in places they have not been recorded before. I have also been able to raise good numbers of specimens for my collection, and the collections of friends and institutions.

I usually start looking for infested wood in March. But, before I can bring home new wood I need to make room. Plant material is most nutritious and appealing to beetles during the first year after it’s death. Most species emerge during the first year I have the wood in my containers. There are exceptions, however, so sometimes I keep wood for 2 or more years. Hesperorhipisare notorious for coming out of wood that is 3 or more years old. I got a few specimens from 2 year old hackberry this year - I’m hoping for hundreds this year!

A male Hesperorhipis hyperbola hyperbola Knull reared from Hackberry.

Each spring about this time I have to decide what wood to keep another season and what to throw away. I also clean out the containers with wood I am going to keep another season and wet everything down well (wood is misted during the season weekly to keep the larvae from desiccating). Here are some of my containers drying out, ready for more infested wood…

Rearing Containers

The Webinar will take place on February 29, at 1:00PST. If you are interested in participating, go to this link where you can register and see more information.

Just a note – WE DID NOT PRUNE THESE TREES! They are at one of our customers, and were trimmed by the landscapers…

 

We had everything on the ground in less than 3 hours, including getting all the logs loaded in our dump trailer. The crane left then, but we spent the whole day chipping the brush and cleaning up. We had the stump ground out as well, so everything was gone at the end of the day except a 3ft piece of the main trunk that the owners wanted us to leave.

Does anyone know how to turn a bunch of still images into a video? I put up a tripod and snapped a picture every little while and it would be neat to see them as a short video clip… Here is an HDR photo of some of the action (double-click for a larger version):

Crane Removal of Pine, with Lift.

We seem to be very busy with tree work since my return and I’m thankful for that! I’ll get back to posting more info on trees and tree care when I can!

Night scene from our hotel in Lima the night before we left for the jungle.

Mining area near the pass through the Andes at 4818 meters.

The area in Chanchamayo where we worked for 10 days.

Rainbow over the jungle one evening!

The Fulgorid: Phenax variegata (Olivier) which came to lights.

A Cicada, which also came to lights.

A Butterfly on a flower.

Closeup of a Whip Scorpion (Amblypygi) which is a predatory arachnid.

Another Whip Scorpion showing the entire animal - this one with a neat white spot on it's body.

Closeup of the white-spotted Whip Scorpion.

A Chrysomelid beetle.

Fungus with ants.

Army ant soldier! Genus: Eciton

Large, beautiful weevil.

A walking stick insect hiding under a leaf.

A frog. We saw several types but I was only able to get a photo of this one.

A nocturnal katydid.

Castle Hot Springs Road leaves Hwy 74 just a short distance east of Hwy 60, near our home. Our directions, however, were to come in from the other end of Castle Hot Springs Road near Lake Pleasant. We were told to expect 5 miles of pavement, then 7 miles of gravel/dirt road. Towing the lift, I planned to go slow! The road was fine, only a few places with washboards and rough in spots. It crossed a series of ridges and washes, then a bridge across a (now dry) arm of Lake Pleasant before descending into the dry bed of Castle Creek. At the 7 mile point, we got our first view of the former resort.

The hot springs were used by Native Americans in pre-pioneer days for their medicinal properties. Early settlers also flocked to it’s waters and many of the buildings were built in the late 1800′s. There have been a number of devestating fires as well as changes in ownership over the years. Currently this private property is maintained by a caretaker and it OFF LIMITS. No entry is permitted! It is for sale – anybody got an extra $4 million? It would be a real steal!

The area has so much history, and is so unique, that I believe it should be purchased by the State or The Nature Conservancy and turned into an area accessible to the public. It has a unique natural history as well as a rich history of human use. The possibilities are endless, but it is going to take some big money – first to purchase it and then to take care of some much neglected maintenance and upgrades. Some maintenance is ongoing now, in an effort to dress it up for sale. This is where the lift came in handy!

Accessing the Roof with our Mini-Lift

The Roofers Had a Hard Time Getting to This Area!

Working the Other End of the Roof

I ended up being the lift operator, so we had to wait until all the roofing was done so that we could explore – we ended up only having about 30 minutes! And that included lunch! So, as soon as the lift was on the trailer, we headed up Castle Creek toward the lower pool…

The lower pool is currently stocked with Tilapia (non-native), and the water deep and is warm to the touch. Wouldn’t it be great if native fish could live there? Can you believe this is Arizona?

Looking Downstream over the Lower Pool

The middle pool is currently empty. Drained through the gate shown below. Obviously all the pools are man-made (but OLD!). I don’t know why this pool is empty.

Gate for the Middle Pool

 The water in the upper pool is said to be 110 deg. This is the source for Castle Creek! I recently sprained my ankle, and took the opportunity to soak it in the pool while we ate our lunch. It felt wonderful!

Hot Water Flowing into the Upper Pool

Below is the place I soaked. The water in the pool is turquoise blue and perfectly clear. There is no foul sulfur smell, like many hot springs I have visited. There is the constant sound of running water echoing between the walls of the canyon. What a place!!

Upper Pool and Stairway

As we walked back down the creek, the sun was backlighting everything making it look especially beautiful. I don’t know if I will ever be able to go back to the springs again, but I wish…

Backlit Palms and Grasses along Castle Creek

 UPDATE:

A customer of mine just gave me scans from a pamphlet advertising Castle Hot Springs – from 1907! Below are all the pages as images. Enjoy!

Wendell Safely Finishing One Tree!

That could have been the headline if I were ignorant. Maybe that sounds mean, but I don’t intend it to sound that way. There are tree climbers killed every year trimming overgrown palm trees and there is no reason for it! We know that old fronds can break loose from the trunk and slide down, suffocating anyone on the tree below the dead fronds. There is no reason anyone should climb up under a large number of dead fronds if they are thinking clearly!

Of course we usually use the lift to trim ALL palm trees, overgrown or not! With the lift we start at the top and cut down – any loose dead fronds fall harmlessly to the ground! We have successfully trimmed palms with 20 years worth of dead fronds accumulated on their trunks – killer trees!

But, there are a few (very few!) trees that we can’t access with the lift. In these cases, our second choice is the 40ft extension ladder – that will get most of them. But, some trees are taller than that. As long as there are only a few years worth of dead fronds on the tree, they can be safely climbed with spikes.

But what to do when the palm is not lift accessible, is too tall for the 40ft ladder, and it has many years worth of dead fronds? If we climbed these trees, we could end up with the headline at the top of this story! I will not send someone up a tree like that! So, we either walk away, or find an alternative – which is just what we did a while back…

Two California Fan Palms (Washingtonia filifera) that were not lift accessible, were too tall for the ladder, and had many years worth of accumulated dead fronds. It looked to me as if a crane could reach the heads of the palm trees, so I asked the operator to check it out – yes, he could! So, we scheduled the job!

The crane would hoist a climber to the top of the tree, and the fronds could be cut just as they would be from the lift. That was the plan – in reality, it was pretty awkward dangling from the load line, and trying to cut dead fronds with a chainsaw. It worked, but we could only do about half of each tree before needing a break to come down and restore circulation to our legs! I did the first half, and Wendell did the second half of each tree. It was a safe solution to our problem and got the trees in a condition where they can now be trimmed annually (and safely!) from spikes.

Safe Hookup is Mandatory!

A note of caution is in order (like usual!)! We use a system to attach the climber to the crane loadline that is described in the Tree Care Industry Association publication “Best Management Practices for Crane Use in Arboriculture”. We have used this system since seeing it in the publication when it first came out in 2008. Tying into the hook of a crane is not safe and should not be done! Yet… we have not seen anyone else in the valley using this system, nor have any of the crane operators that we deal with. Please know your stuff, people!