OCtober dreaft

Nature's News October 2023

@ Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area, Nevada, USA

Event Calendar

Ripe Prickly Pears means Monsoon season Close

The last day of September is the end of Monsoon season. October sees a well-watered desert with flora that, after a brutally hot summer bursts with life, in what has been called "Second Spring" by some. Many animal species also shift their behaviours around this time, including people! Autumn is the busiest season for visitation at the Conservation Area.

Weather

Fields of Gold

Monarchs on the Move

Raptor Celebration Month!

Tarantula Season

Bright Eyed & Bat- Tailed

Arachnophilia

Desert Tarantulas are out & about looking for love

Throughout October, it is not uncommon to find (usually) male tarantulas roaming across the landscape looking for a receptive female with whom to breed. The males will walk substantial distances searching, while the females usually stay close to a familiar shelter. Males live an average of 1 year while females can live 25...might have something to do with the fact she usually eats her mate after breeding.

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A desert tarantula scurries across Creosote bush-scrub

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Many people have a fear of spiders, but have you ever wonder what a tarantula might be afraid of??

Click the link to find out, but fair warning, it is much creepier than these crawlies!

Click if you dare

In High [Flying] Regard, our Nevada Birds of Prey:

Raptor Appreciation Month

At Risk Raptors

Hypercarnivorous predators with keen eyesight, sharrp talons, and curved beaks, Raptors were designed to be the best hunters on the planet.

Primarily due to habitat loss from humans, several raptor species are considered threatened or endangered with extinction, are on the BLM Sensitive Species list, or have another protected status

Golden eagle, Short-eared owl, long-eared owl, burrowing owl, verdin, ferruginous hawk, swwainson's hawk common nighthawk peregrine falcon, bald eaglem flammulated own arizonba bell vireo

Threatened & Endangered!

More Raptor Vids

Differentiating Raptors

Vulture Culture

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Bats!

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Monarch Migration:

October repeatedly has the highest density of Monarch sightings in Red Rock Canyon Conservation Area!

butterfly flutters by

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National Fossil Day (October 15th)

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During 2025 we celebrate the 16th Anniversary of National Fossil Day! Join paleontologists, educators, and students in fossil-related events and activities across the country in parks, classrooms, and online during National Fossil Day. National Fossil Day is an annual celebration held to highlight the scientific and educational value of paleontology and the importance of preserving fossils for future generations.

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Bat to the Bone!

Frenetic F lyers of the Evening

Red Rock is home to over 17 bat species, all isnectivores. Some of these can only be found within the Conservation Area, as far as we know. These mammals are more closely related to humans than rodents (cotnracy to popular beliefe) and are the only mammal that can fly! Click each question mark to guess on our most charismatic little insectivores!

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Fields of GoldPlant Profile: Chinchweed

A sunny & bright native winter annual forms dense carpets in RRC,' following late-summer rainfall, as far as the eye can see.

Chinchweed aka limoncillo Pectic Papposa Family: Asteraceae (sunflower) Description:low-lying rounded mounds, dandelion-like flowers, zesty lemon odor Location: American SW. valley floors, <6,000 ft Ethnobotany: food (condiment-fresh/dried), laxative, perfume

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“Autumn provides a brief glimpse into the workings of nature in the desert. At no other time is the intimate connection between life & death represented so clearly” -Joshua Tree NP Employee

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When the Prickly Pears are ripe, Monsoon season has come to a close

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Monsoon season or "churaskca", which generally runs from 15 June to 1 Septenber, is characterized by torrenrial rain, flash flooding, synapse-like lightning across the sky, and the final hurrah if wildflower blooms for the year.

Want another weather-related

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Tarantula Hawks

To Humans, the most painful sting in the world. To Tarantulas, a dreaded foe. To the ecosystem, an important player in it's proper functioning.

Weird n Wild Wiki

• Species of tarantula hawks have been seen as far north as Utah and as far south as Argentina, with more than 250 species living in South America.
• Fifteen species of Pepsis are found in the United States, most of them residing in the desert.
• They are generally active during the summer months. They avoid the hottest part of the day (mine was out in early evening).
• Due to their extremely large stingers, they have very few predators; only roadrunners and bullfrogs will take them on.
• The tarantula hawk is the state insect of New Mexico.

Eric Januszkiewicz

"Oak before ash, we're in for a splash, ash before oak, we're in for a soak" is a traditional British proverb that suggests the timing of oak and ash trees' leaf emergence can predict the summer weather. The proverb is thought to have originated in the 16th century. The proverb states that if oak trees leaf out before ash trees, the summer will bring light rain, while if ash trees leaf out first, the summer will be wet. Let's enjoy the charm of this saying and see how it might apply here! Step outside and observe the oak trees, especially the Gambel oak, our lovely winter-deciduous oak. Keep an eye on the scrub live oaks as well—they're resilient and unique, with tiny leaves that add to their character. Nature's little clues can make our summer forecasts a delightful adventure!

Galactic Center of the Milky Way at it's most visible.

This is the best week of the month (due to the New Moon on the 14th) to view and photograph the Galactic Center of the Milky Way, visible jsut above the horizon after moonset. If you miss it, you can try again at winter;s end.

Galactic Center of the Milky Way and a Meteor, as seen from Hawaii Volcanoes National Park

What's a Galactic Center?

• The Galactic Center is a supermassive black hole
• The blackhole weighs the same as about 4 million of our Sun

Did You Know....

Vultures, a.k.a. "buzzards", are one of the few raptors that enjoy the company of others, choosing to mingle in groups instead of living solitary lives.

• A group of vultures is called a committee, a venue, or a volt.
• If they are eating, the group is called a wake.
• In flight, it is a kettle of vultures!