More Desert Loneliness

[Mark Walker]

Sunday, April 11, 1999

En route to SE Arizona, I stopped for a two hour walk in the Plomosa
Mountains, La Paz Co, AZ.  In surprising contrast to the Mojave desert of
California - which is brown and dry - this part of western AZ was alive and
in bloom.  Many wildflowers, and most cacti were in full bloom
(spectacular).  Pink, red, yellow, orange, blue, purple, and many hues in
between.  I surprised a Bighorn Sheep at about a 10 foot distance, and
thought it might buck me into a nearby Saguaro.  I became friendly with a
large Tarantula Hawk Wasp with very red wings.  I saw only a single
butterfly.  It was deep orange (the color of Eurema nicippe, but large
enough to be a Phoebis agarithe), but it was in a large hurry for some
unknown destination.

Later, I stopped on the Gila River near Buckeye and took another hour long
walk.  More flowers, and still no Leps.  A light brown hairstreak
(upperside) that eluded me, and a lone Brephidium exile (Western Pygmy
Blue).  I did manage to walk within 30 feet of a very large (and healthy)
coyote, which appeared to be stalking the many birds stalking the river.  It
was checking me out very carefully, and probably considered my estimated
value in bird weight.  A wise investment!  A few siblings, and I would have
been dog food.  Any biped carrying a bug net can't be too hard to take down.
All of this appeared to be going through it's mind.

It's amazing what you can notice when there aren't any butterflies flying...

Mark Walker
presently on business in Ft. Huachuca (no, I'm not able to get away for even
a few minutes in this butterfly paradise)

Better luck to you, wherever you are!