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Photo: Jay Pierstorff |
Meep, Meep!
Did you know that Greater Roadrunners (Geococcyx californianus) never need to drink water? These birds are so well adapted to their environment that they have no need to sip water! They get all the moisture they need from their diet (grasshoppers, beetles and other insects, spiders, small mammals and reptiles, scorpions, snails, fruits and seeds, and even other small birds and eggs). Roadrunners are also fast on their feet - clocking 20 miles per hour. Watch The Wiggle!
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Photo: USFWS/Ann Froschauer |
Ina Road Bridge: Home for Bats
All over our community, people are striving to live in better harmony with our resident desert dwellers.
A wonderful example is the bat habitat designed for the new Ina Road Bridge. You may have seen Desert Museum docents teaching about bats as they emerge from their summer roosts under other bridges, such as the one at Campbell and River. When bridges get old and need to be replaced, what happens to the bats? Find out in our latest blog post! Fly With Us!
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Photo: Kaitlyn Raitz |
Looking to update (or start) your mineral collection? Join us on February 17 for a day trip to an old mining site in the Santa Rita Mountains. You'll learn to identify azurite, malachite, pyrite, garnet and other Arizona minerals, and make a mineral collection of your own from samples you find. Not only will you discover new treasures, you will enjoy a lovely hike (1.5 miles). We encourage you to bring a sack lunch. $75/members, $82/non-members.
Mountains, Mines & Minerals, Oh My!
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Photo: ASDM/Jason Wiley |
Flower Friday
Happy Flower Friday! How do you make a prickly pear cactus more interesting? Make it purple! This cactus (Opuntia macrocentra) is found in the lower Southwestern US and Northwestern Mexico (and at the Desert Museum!) This beauty produces large, bright yellow and red blooms in the summertime, followed by dark, red fruits. Besides pleasing the eye, the fruits are edible (and delicious). In addition, this prickly pear is a favorite pollinator pad for native bees. Dig Deeper!
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Photo: Paulina Bueno |
Volunteer Viernes
Do you love stingrays and care about ocean conservation? Consider becoming an Aquatic Interpreter! Our current volunteers love helping guests experience our Stingray Touch exhibit. They also share information about the different aquatic animals that live in the Gulf of California and why it is so important to conserve them. Aquatic Interpreters commit to volunteer for 5 months and participate in interesting training that fosters interpretive skills.
Volunteer Today!
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What's Going Down in the Desert?
- Valentine's Day Dinner (February 14)
- Mountains, Mines, and Minerals (February 17)
- Heirloom Fruit Tree Workshop (February 20)
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