Garden Visitors

[gyuseppe]

2 hours ago, happypalms said:

Dam goannas in the garden again. They eat anything that they can shove in the mouth, especially baby chickens! 

Richard I didn't know that monitor lizards existed in Australia too. I thought they were only in Asia ? never seen one in my life

[Silas_Sancona]

Some recent guests:

Apparently enough rain in September and early October to bring out da' " flutter - butts wit da'  beak ",  Libytheana carinenta 






Danaus gilippus





Possibly Sympetrum..






Neoscona oaxacensis   ..or orbizabensis




Vanessa sp..  Which one, i'm not sure ..but they've been around much later than usual this year..  About a half dozen fighting with whichever sps of Hylephila are around for primo spots on the Zinnias atm..








Probably Euptoieta claudia,  but could be a very pale E. hegesia.  Smiling, Lady's face marking on the inner, upper wing ( look carefully ) certainly leans more claudia than hagesia, imo. 







Nathalis iole  ..Another rarity, unless it has been wet and warm enough in the summer / fall










Unusual to see any Toxomerus  around this time of year..





Same with any of our locally common Agapostemon sps.




...The other famous Danaus,  first time seeing any making a stop in the yard, instead of casually passing through. 

[Silas_Sancona]

The rare, occasional vagrant found wandering far from home after being blown off course during a storm?    ..or pioneering pioneers sus-ing out future new homes in a warming world?

I'll dive deeper into this later but,   some interesting reflection and research on exactly what seeing that Broad - Billed Hummingbird, Swallow - tailed Kite,  or American Oystercatcher in or near Los Angeles,  instead of where each is more " at home " ,   or a  Cattle Tyrant in S. TX,   instead of  ..Brazil..   might mean in a warming world.. 

Obviously, birds aren't the only critters that would be lured to new real estate in increasingly -suitable areas,  beyond where they roam now,  either. 


https://aces.illinois.edu/news/lost-or-leading-way-rare-birds-may-signal-shifting-migration-routes

[Silas_Sancona]

A few recent visitors...


Agapostemon sp..  Hard to believe these are out this early in the year.. Or,  in reality,  haven't really disappeared all winter. 








Hyles sp.    ..another " warm season "  flutter -butt i shouldn't see around until -at least- mid May..  First time i've seen more than one zipping between flowers in the yard at one time..    Hopefully a good sign for the year ahead since Hawk / Sphinx Moths are thought to be major pollinators of Plumeria.. 












Due to being gravely detached from the world around them / their  " fears "  .....bought and paid for by the big Ag companies,     some people hate these moths because the larvae of one  ...or a couple..  species,  ..often referred to as " Hornworms "     can munch on Tomatoes and some other plants in the Tomato / Pepper Fam. 

I myself would rather have these kids buzzing around the yard fighting with real Hummingbirds for favored position among flowers rather than whine and moan about any future moth -sized hummers trimming my Tomatoes..   They,  ...the T  'Maters,    will grow back. 

Where applicable, planting Sacred Datura ( Datura wrightii ),  a random, wild Tomato or two in an out of the way spot,  ..and / or    leaving a patch of Boerhavia ( Spiderlings ) < where this genus is native >   somewhere in a yard will often deflect attention from ones " sacred " ( 🤣  ) tomatoes as well..  

Don't be a jagoff,  unclench from those overly dramatic fears purposely drilled through one's skull about the " dreaded " Hornworm,  leave the Sphinx alone.



Isn't the only " unusual "  Flutter Butt that i've seen around lately either..  Monarchs ..and Queens..  are still around..  As are the Snouts. 

Shy and quick to dart off when approached but,  stumbled upon of these https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/122374-Eurema-mexicana#similar-tab      hanging out below one of the Baja Petunia out back last week. 

Visits from the usual suspects,  " Yellow  / Yellow Orange " colored Butterflies you typically don't see out this time of year. haven't decreased since October either.  




Horrible shots but,  a couple pictures of another winged, rare visitor to the area captured while sniffing out a new -to me- birding / wildlife survey spot in Tucson a couple weeks ago... 

Bucephala albeola.  ...Slow your roll guy,   Hard to get good shots when you're moving around so quickly.. 




 

[Silas_Sancona]

Warm evenings = more visits from the Sphinx ( Hyles sp )











Missed the chance to grab it but, while getting shots of this moth roaming the bigger group of Penstemon, one of our neighborhood Anna's Hummingbirds swooped in and decided the Penstemon were his and his alone.  Kind of funny watching the hummingbird chirp at the moth while trying to drive it off before succeeding in his mission. 

Said, male Anna's Hummingbird on subsequent visits after his argument with the Sphinx..















Hirsute Paradise Jumping Spider,  Habronattus hirsutus,  one of two species that belong to the species complex H. tranquillus.  Many species within this sub family of Jumping Spiders belong to higher complexes. They are also among some of the most colorful of the New World Jumping Spiders as well. 











As much as people might fear spiders,  these are harmless ..and actually won't hesitate to confront ..and consume...  the " bad " spiders ...Widows / Recluse species. 

Compared to most terrestrial invertebrates,  Jumping Spiders have exceptional vision capabilities that closely match that of humans and can even clearly detect and discern certain colors and even human movement.  Would be interesting to study whether or not they can recognize / easily detect differences between human faces. 

[miamicuse]

No picture of the actual visitor but I know it's the squirrels.

They like to take nuts, seeds, acorns, and hide it all over.

I got a 40' long horizontal bar mounted on my wood fence and I made it out of 4 sticks of 1/2" EMT electrical conduits.  During the recent cold spell I moved all these orchids inside, and I noticed there is something rolling around inside the conduit.  Hmmm...what is it?  I took the conduit and tilted it and a few dozen acorns rolled out onto the ground.  The squirrels have been stashing acorns inside the conduit, probably just keep pushing new ones inside...BUT how the heck are they planning to dig them back out?

Last night I noticed in one of my potted palms, a peanut has germinated.  Again, the squirrels put peanuts into my pot.

 

[tropicbreeze]

Flying Foxes love mangos and make quite a mess of my trees. However, mango season is over so they're stuck with Carpentaria acuminata fruit. We get a number of species of Flying Fox, these are Black Flying Fox, Pteropus alecto. 

During the wet season when my dam is full, Shining Flycatchers, Myiagra Alecto, build their nest over water. Both male and female share the job of sitting on and hatching the eggs.

Whistling Kites, Haliastur sphenurus, are around all the time but have never seen them nesting at my place.

Northern Brush-tailed Possum, Trichosurus vulpecula ssp. arnhemensis,  not usually around during daytime, this one was grooming itself just outside the bedroom window.

 

[Looking Glass]

On 3/1/2026 at 7:32 PM, miamicuse said:

No picture of the actual visitor but I know it's the squirrels.

They like to take nuts, seeds, acorns, and hide it all over.

I got a 40' long horizontal bar mounted on my wood fence and I made it out of 4 sticks of 1/2" EMT electrical conduits.  During the recent cold spell I moved all these orchids inside, and I noticed there is something rolling around inside the conduit.  Hmmm...what is it?  I took the conduit and tilted it and a few dozen acorns rolled out onto the ground.  The squirrels have been stashing acorns inside the conduit, probably just keep pushing new ones inside...BUT how the heck are they planning to dig them back out?

Last night I noticed in one of my potted palms, a peanut has germinated.  Again, the squirrels put peanuts into my pot.

 

Blue jays do it at my house.  Cram them everywhere.  They put them in potted plants, into bromeliads, and in any crevice.   Squirrels tend to bury them.  The Jays “stick them” in small elevated spaces.  

[Silas_Sancona]

 

Hyles lineata enjoying the breeze created by a fan placed in a doorway after a hot afternoon..

 




While i knew we had several,  curious as to just how many species of Sphinx / Hawk / Hummingbird Moth species can be seen in the state, inc. those that frequently wander into the state from various areas nearby  (  S.Cal,  Baja, and Sonora ),  turns out  ..depending on what part of the state you're in / time of year  you may observe  ..at least a dozen < or more > of the 50+ species of these moths that occur here.  



Aggregation of Anthrophora californica  settling in for the night within the dense cover of Larrea tridentata..  Always interesting observing how solitary bee species sleep. 

[happypalms]

[Silas_Sancona]

Agapostemon sp. 







Toxomerus sp..




NOID Assassin bug sp.  

[Silas_Sancona]

One of ...several possible.. locally common species within the Genus Megachile  swarming at one of their branch homes up in the Ficus out back. 








Very important pollinators of several plants ranging from various native wildflowers and trees like Mesquite and Ironwood ( Olneya ),  to important crops like Alfalfa and Citrus.. 

No doubt, now that they are out, bigger Leafcutters will emerge shortly, if they aren't out already. 



Pontia protodice, Checkered White.  For whatever reason, these have been quite abundant this year.






NOID unusual surprise Raptor appearance..  After going through the list of all our locally common raptor species, ..inc. the rarer " tropical " sps that sometimes  wander north of Mexico, and i can't pin this one down..






* Not an Osprey or a younger Bald Eagle  ..The two " most likely " candidates that have a white neck / head  ..and/or tail. 

Definitely not a White Pelican either.. 

* Too big / wings not set at the right angle to be a Kite ( White - Tailed would be the " commonest " sp. seen here.  No forked tail so ..Not a vagrant Swallow Tailed Kite wandering thru AZ ) 

* Wings and size aren't right for Caracara either..  Counting the days until i see my first AZ specimen though..

Flew just above the houses from a nearby Eucalyptus where visiting Hawks and Owls like to hang out when in the neighborhood but was circling much higher up by the time i grabbed the phone to get what ..so so shots i could grab before drifting off.. 

40 years of seeing  ..pretty much..  every Raptor sp. native to CA. AZ, and FL,   ..and KS / Ohio...  Never seen any with this color pattern. 

..Whatever this is,  it is very unique.. 

[bubba]

[Silas_Sancona]

Feathered friends from the Riparian Preserve   ..Or as " oddly eccentric " folk  ...who believe in cloud seeding / chem - trail -esque " Conspiro - Theories " like to call them:  Covert,  life - like drones developed by the govt. in the 50's  ..or 70s..  < Can't keep up with the " theorized " timeline >  for widespread, public surveillance..      Birds aren't real,  ya know..  🤡

Anyway.... 


American Wigeon, Mareca americana  Drake..  







Long - Billed Dowitcher, Limnodromus scolopaceus





















American Avocet, Recurvirostra americana   and friends..   Including:  Black - Necked Stilt, Himantopus mexicanus,   Cinnamon Teal, Spatula cyanoptera   ..Great Egret, Ardea alba,      ...and Least Sandpiper,  Calidria minutilla     ...Da'  tiny " drones "  watchin everyone closely (  🤔  ..weird  ...cuz you can't ever get close to em' without em' flying off..   ..Or,  is that part of the " plan ", 🤣)































American White Pelican, Pelicanus erythrorhynchos     ..Yupp,  " Pelicans in the " desert "  "  is a real thing..    Brown Pelicans ( Pelicanus occidentalis ssp californicus  )  the fishing boat / pier- side beggers anyone living near a beach in CA. or FL. are probably quite familiar with?    ..they too fid their way to local neighborhood ponds / lakes every so often..











Snowy Egret, Egretta thula   Great Blue Heron, Ardea herodias   and Neotropical Comorant, Nannopterum brasilianum  lurking in the background of a few of the shots as well... 




Male, White Crowned Sparrow, Zonotrichia leucophrys     ..spying on me...  < scratchy voice .. . "  We're watchingg youuu "  >

[Silas_Sancona]

Some other shots of another " Spy with Wings "  ..this time the insect kind..  One that looks like a " stinger .."   but is quite harmless  ..at least to most other animals and is considered an important pollinator of several types of plants.

Different story if you happen to bee ..Pun intended..  one of the target Solitary, ground -nesting Bee species this group of parasitic flies seeks out as larval hosts.. 

In most cases, the equilibrium between host and host seeker is pretty well balanced.  

There are situations however where the host seeker can heavily impact localized populations of certain host species. 

Regardless, a very intriguing insect with an interesting name... 


Heterostylum robustum,  AKA, the Bomber Fly..  One of several species of " Bee Flies " tucked within the huge Bee Fly family Bombyliidae. 

























Speaking of things that sting,   An interesting article discussing  " which stinger qualifies as the worlds' worst "
https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20260406-whats-the-most-painful-sting-in-the-world?utm_source=firefox-newtab-en-us



And another,  much deeper < and geeky- er > dive into the pain and lethality of insect stings..
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6669698/
 

[Butch]

19 hours ago, Silas_Sancona said:

Some other shots of another " Spy with Wings "  ..this time the insect kind..  One that looks like a " stinger .."   but is quite harmless  ..at least to most other animals and is considered an important pollinator of several types of plants.

Different story if you happen to bee ..Pun intended..  one of the target Solitary, ground -nesting Bee species this group of parasitic flies seeks out as larval hosts.. 

In most cases, the equilibrium between host and host seeker is pretty well balanced.  

There are situations however where the host seeker can heavily impact localized populations of certain host species. 

Regardless, a very intriguing insect with an interesting name... 


Heterostylum robustum,  AKA, the Bomber Fly..  One of several species of " Bee Flies " tucked within the huge Bee Fly family Bombyliidae. 

























Speaking of things that sting,   An interesting article discussing  " which stinger qualifies as the worlds' worst "
https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20260406-whats-the-most-painful-sting-in-the-world?utm_source=firefox-newtab-en-us



And another,  much deeper < and geeky- er > dive into the pain and lethality of insect stings..
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6669698/
 

Interesting but scary too...

Butch

[Silas_Sancona]

3 hours ago, Butch said:

Interesting but scary too...

Scary only if you're a ground nesting bee.. 

Slightly.. " scarier "   ..but far more interesting?

The only truly Venomous Beetle known to science..   And the only known insect that has stinging capabilities located in  ..it's antennae. 

https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/849203-Onychocerus-albitarsis#articles-tab
 

Video suggests effects from being jabbed are brief and similar to an unplanned meeting with Stinging Nettle..  Obviously, as with stings from Bees,  Ants, Wasps, or Hornets,  how 2 people might respond would depend on how sensitive each person might be to whatever cocktail of chemicals are contained in it's venom. 

Regardless,  rare,  and something you'd only encounter while poking around a patch of rainforest where it hangs out in South America. 

Other " Toxic " Beetles <  ..Iron Cross / Other Blister Beetles,  Bombardier Beetle  ..and Stink Beetles ( Elodes ).. > either squirt, or release whatever poisonous / predator - deterring compounds they produce when they sweat when grasped or are crushed. 

[Silas_Sancona]

Without fail...   Plant Sunflowers = Gold Finch " spies " will arrive shortly once they start flowering..

Spinus psaltria  in this case..












































Anna's Hummingbird, female..


 

[Silas_Sancona]

..Other,  smaller   "  Spies that fly... "

Halictus  ligatus












Agapostemon sp. 














Anthophora californica and friends.. 









Strymon melinus




Vanessa sp..










Speaking of Flutter Butts,  doubling down on efforts to get more of them into the yard.. esp since this could be one of those summers that lures some of the rarer, more " tropical " sps out of Mexico,  inc Daggerwings, more of the less common, big Sulphur sps,  and some others that are well known for large- aggregation puddling.. 


What is " Puddling ? " ..Simply put, while some assume nectar is the only energy source Butterflies need, that is only half the story..  Most Butterflies, males esp, also need to sip on water that is rich in certain minerals like Sodium and Calcium / elements like Nitrogen to maintain health and reproductive fitness. Minerals / elements that nectar typically doesn't contain.

Roam around ..pretty much anywhere,  esp. after a warm downpour,  it is not uncommon to come across a muddy bald spot in a grassy area in a park,  or damp, shaded streamside depression with clouds of butterflies gathering on the mud itself.  This is them not just stopping in at such a spot for a sip of water..


Puddling behavior isn't restricted to muddy puddles either..  Any source of the desired minerals, esp. sodium, will do, inc. carrion, poop, rotting fruit, sweat and tears,  and even blood ..in the case of a few butterfly sps native to the tropics.. 

In a garden, while planting both nectar and host - source plants is a big plus, adding a " puddling station " or two helps get lure of them into the yard.. 

Such a addition can be a simple plastic or terra cotta saucer filled with mud, sand, and/or gravel, and some larger rocks,  then adding some salt, ..and / or a dash or two of something like Fish Emulsion and keeping it moist..

This particular station has both mud and wash grit, just to see which substrate local species gravitate to.  In others i plan to add,  i'll use 1/4" gravel, both bagged and collected sand,  and straight Turface.  Stations will also be moved around at times to see what " sun vs. shade position is most attractive.




Goal is to be able to get shots, similar to these, from the yard this year.. 

Various Sulphur sps,  from the internet..




American Snout, Hackberry Emperor, Empress Lelia puddling along Alamo wash near Picketpost Mtn.  Summer 2021.




Zelus renardii,  hunting for sap suckers..





 

[Butch]

Interesting info on the "puddling".... Thanks for posting...

Butch

[Silas_Sancona]

Call it ..   " Boyce Thompson Arboretum, Spring 2026, Take   ... 2.5 "

Various " walking and flying " things seen while roaming the gardens yesterday....


You know it is going to be a good day when the first critter you see after arriving is one of the most tropical - looking hummingbirds one can see in the U.S.  

Broad Billed Hummingbird, Cyanthus latirostris












Presence in this part of AZ has only occurred in the last couple decades.  Last time i'd seen this species, 2022 in both Patagonia and Madera Canyon.



Plenty of Cardinals up here as well.








First AZ  Hooded Oriole, Icterus cucullatus  encounter / observation since moving here.






Scaly friends..

Clark's Spiny Lizard, Sceloporus clarkii




Plenty of Greater Earless around yesterday,  ...along with un aware of their surroundings  people who'd scare them off while in the middle of trying to capture close up shots.  

Cophosaurus texanus

[Silas_Sancona]

Smaller, winged trail side company...

One ...of several.. locally native Blue sps in the Polyommatinae subfamily seen puddling where ever there was moistened ground throughout the garden.  Has been a surge of these in the yard over the last couple weeks as well.  




Puddling? ..or gathering mud?..   Not quite sure but,  this Digger Wasp sp, possibly in the Genus Sphex < ....It's a legit genus name btw ) was doing it's thing among the blues gathered at this particular seep. 







Texas Crescent,  Anthanassa texana...  





Another that made a quick stop in the yard a few days ago.. I don't recall seeing any of our locally common Crescents before ..July..




Female Pipevine Swallowtail, Battus philenor,  tending to the duty of depositing the next generation on a patch of our native Pipevine.   Not a species i expect to see pass through the yard this early but,  ..already seen two.  





Even up at Boyce, and while wandering around a nearby wash on the way home,  these are typically less abundant this time of year  compared to once the Monsoon arrives.  Not this year though.. One of these days they'll start frequenting the yard more often  since there is  plenty of Pipevine waiting for them..





You know winter was warm when sightings of -any- of the Phoebis  genus Sulphurs  are a regular occurrence outside late summer / fall, after Monsoon season rains have provided ideal conditions for breeding. 

Summer rainfall pattern using the presence of these butterflies is so reliable that you can track just how wet a year might  ..or might not..  have been by the general abundance  ..or lack thereof...  of species within this " tropical " genus of butterflies. 

After the heavy rains we saw last fall and the warm winter we experienced afterward,  it figured i might see a few around down in the valley.  Was more surprised to see  ..quite a lot..  fluttering around up at the garden this early.  remember, Boyce sits at an elevation where they can se an occasional, light dusting of Snow once or twice during a colder winter. 

If ...  this summer does indeed end up wet,  both locally, and across all of Northwestern MEX,  this could be a big year for Sulphurs.. 

In this case,  pretty sure all of these are Phoebis sennae, Cloudless Sulphur. 







That said, it isn't easy to tell this species apart from P. agarithe,  Large Orange Sulphur,  ..and a couple other species in the genus that turn up in AZ from time to time during the " boom - cycle "  years. 

Regardless,  Big, Orange and bright Yellow, < or Greenish - toned >  butterflies wandering through a garden = a taste of the tropics. 






Been awhile since i've seen this AZ / Southwestern US region oddity,  the infamous " Red - Eyed "  Bee i'd  mentioned encountering several years ago.. 

Not sure if this is Centris caesalpiniae, a locally rare Oil Digger more commonly seen in New Mexico,  or Red legged Centris / Oil Digger, Centris rhodopus, which is < supposedly > more common west of PHX.. 





  







We actually have a few sps of Centris  in AZ but only these two have red colored eyes.   Pallid Desert Digger, Centris pallida, typically has bright yellow or green colored eyes,  rather than Red or Gray.  Black - legged Oil Digger = light colored eyes.. 



A couple things are fairly certain with these interesting Bees, 

1,  Seems the " Red eyed sps. " are highly attracted to species in the genus Krameria..  ..Where i've seen them every time i see them.  Other species in our area are often seen around blooming Palo Verde and Desert Ironwood.

2,  they collect oils / resins produced by the flowers of these plants, < and some others, > much the same way Orchid Bees ( Tribe Euglossini ) do,  and have the " beefy ",  fuzz - covered legs for the assigned task.. 

While Oil Diggers collect oils and resins for their nests, rather than a means to attract mates, like Orchid Bees do,   highly likely one evolved from the other, imo.  Both groups evolved in the Tropics though Centris  were able to spread into slightly colder regions north of Mexico,  esp. here in the Southwestern U.S.

3, ..Skittish and quick to fly off = they're tough to photograph, lol..    so being able to get a few,  decent shots is a real reward for hanging out in the heat waiting for one or two of them to chill out on a flower just long enough to get the kind of shots i'd aimed for, esp. the Red -eyed beast. 


Interesting article related to another Centris sp. ( C. nitida ) that found it's way to FL.  from Central America back in the late 90s..   Not too long before one of the Orchid Bees turned up in the state.

https://bugoftheweek.com/blog/2019/1/21/oil-bees-if-you-please-centris-nitida


First sighting of the same species was recorded in AZ back in 2022. 

 

[Silas_Sancona]

Headed out?  ..Yep,  me thinks it's gonna be a good summer ahead...


Broad winged Hummingbird meeting,  ..Take #2.







Anna's ...and others? ..i think??















Side note:  While this hummingbird species had been confined to mainly southern AZ since wandering north out of Mexico for years,  with the rarer sighting or two in this part of the state,   it has recently started to expand it's range  ..both in AZ,   and beyond the state lines.. 

Sometime after 2015 or 16, they started turning up in / around San Diego, and have explored -potential- new territory further north since that time. 

At the same time, the species has also wandered into areas to our east ..N.M., TX,  S. Louisiana,  and N. Central FL  / far S. Georgia in seemingly increasing numbers. 

If my hunch is correct, these could become a ..relatively frequent " Yard Hummer " sight here around the valley,  and in ..at least... most of CA, below the Sierras, West and S. TX, and possibly parts of FL. 

Current observations map from iNat..  Pick your area..
https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/6141-Cynanthus-latirostris


Will say,  unlike the " common " hummingbird species we're accustomed to here and in CA, these make very distinct ..and distinctly unique.. calls..  You can hear them flying around from a further distance than either Anna's, Black Chinned, Costa's, or Allen's as well. 

Seem to like more shaded areas vs. those that are more open to the sky.  That said,  if the usual hummers are fighting over your feeder(s) / favored nectar rich plants,   good chance these will join the fray for a preferred spot too, if  present. 

When not at the feeder,  the two?..  i saw yesterday seemed addicted to the large patch of Mexican Honeysuckle, AKA, Justicia spicigera  nearby.   BIG draw with the Sulphurs, too.