Flora Archives - El Mesteño Ranch and Arboretum

“Mesoxaea texana nectaring on Waltheria indica on the South Texas Sand Sheet!”

Camille — Mon, 02 Sep 2024 03:38:17 +0000

by C. M. Rich, Texas Master Naturalist

He’s BACK!!!!!

A “hovering” display….

A green-eyed male Mesoxaea texana is a repeat visitor to the South Texas Sand Sheet!

This rare, ground nesting bee has earned a few terms of endearment: “MT” and “El Guapo!”

The post “Mesoxaea texana nectaring on Waltheria indica on the South Texas Sand Sheet!” appeared first on El Mesteño Ranch and Arboretum.

“Tepanec Long-horned Bees Nectaring on Coma on the South Texas Sand Sheet,” by C. M. Rich, Texas Master Naturalist

Camille — Fri, 16 Aug 2024 15:44:59 +0000

Tepanec Long-horned Bee ~ Melissodes tepaneca

A Tepanec Long-horned bee enjoying a brief stop on a glossy, dark green Coma leaf.

About the Texas native bee:

“Abundant throughout the United States and Canada, these fast-flying bees are hairy and generally large. Males have extraordinarily long antenna.”

Source: Wilson, Joseph S., and Olivia Messinger Carril. “The Bees in Your Backyard: A Guide to North America’s Bees.” Princeton: Princeton University Press, 2016.

“Melissodes means ‘bee-like.’ Meslissa means ‘bee’ and -odes means ‘looks like’ or ‘resembles.'”
Source: Wilson, Joseph S., and Olivia Messinger Carril. “The Bees in Your Backyard: A Guide to North America’s Bees.” Princeton: Princeton University Press, 2016.

Note: Less than twenty-four hours after its initial capture, this Tepanec Long-horned bee was returned, alive and unharmed, to the exact tree he was found on. He buzzed off without skipping a beat!

This particular bee was found nectaring on a Coma tree (Bumelia celastrina).

About the Coma tree:

“Shrubs or trees up to 30′ tall (usually less), with milky sap, forming thickets from root sprouts. Side branches usually long slender thorns. Flowers: Radial, fragrant, in clusters from the leaf axils; petals 5, white, up to 3/16″ long. Leaves: Alternate; blades spatulate to ovate, tapering onto the petioles, up to 1 and 5/8″ long. The sweet fragrance of plants in bloom can be detected from long distances.”
Source: Richardson, Alfred, and Ken King. “Plants of Deep South Texas.“ College Station: Texas A & M University Press, 2011.

Tamaulipan Thornscrub is an endangered habitat.

Coma is an attractive evergreen tree that is part of the Tamaulipan Thornscrub habitat that dots the landscape out on the South Texas Sand Sheet.

A glimpse into the Tamaulipan Thornscrub on the South Texas Sand Sheet.

Books referenced:

Bravo, Esteban. “Incredible Edibles of South Texas.” (What to Eat & How to Get It). Copy Zone. McAllen, Texas. 2013.
Peacock, Dexter and Forrest S. Smith. “A Photographic Guide to the Vegetation of the South Texas Sand Sheet.” ” Texas A & M University Press. College Station. 2020.
Eason, Michael. “Wildflowers of Texas.” Timber Press Field Guide. Timber Press, Inc. Portland, Oregon. 2018
Richardson, Alfred, and Ken King. “Plants of Deep South Texas.” College Station: Texas A & M University Press, 2011.
Wilson, Joseph S., and Olivia Messinger Carril. “The Bees in Your Backyard: A Guide to North America’s Bees.” Princeton: Princeton University Press, 2016.

Online resources:

A Texas native bee photographed on the exact same Coma Tree in 2022. Although the exact species of Texas native bee is unknown, those antennae are definitively characteristic of male Long-horned bees.

“Roemer’s Acacia” by C.M. Rich, Texas Master Naturalist

Camille — Sat, 18 May 2024 19:45:00 +0000

Roemer’s Acacia

Senegalia roemeriana

Exquisite blooms…

“This is a prickly, 3-7 ft., round-topped shrub or, more rarely, a small tree to 20 ft. with spreading branches. Branchlets with scattered straight or recurved prickles. Leaves divided into numerous leaflets 1/2 inch long or less. Fragrant, cream to greenish flowers 3/8 inch wide arising mostly from the axils of the leaves are followed by a narrow, leathery fruit. Fruit a brown to reddish, flat, curved pod up to 4 inches long and 1 1/8 inches broad. Young trunks are covered with smooth bark, becoming scaly with age. Twigs are armed with short, curved prickles; hence the common name, Catclaw.”
Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center

Roemer’s acacia is a shrub that can grow from 15 to 20 feet in height and has a spread of 10 to 15 feet. It is a perennial, deciduous shrub that prefers sand, clay, gravelly, rocky, or limestone soil types. It requires full sun, and, once established, requires very little water to survive. It blooms in the Spring. Flower color varies from white to green. It provides both nectar and seeds for wildlife.
Native Plant Society of Texas

Leguminosae (Fabaceae)

“Roemer Acacia grows in dry limestone or gravelly soils. In good, deep soil it grows to 15′-20′, although on thin limestone hillsides in Edwards County it is a scraggly shrub of 3′ to 6′. It is drought resistant and fairly cold hardy, as are Gregg and Wright Acacia. Its globe-shaped flowers are a good source of honey.”
Texas Native Plant Database

“Fruit Characteristics: pods, flatter and not as twisted as Gregg Acacia’s.”
Texas Native Plant Database

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References:

“Blooms on the South Texas Sand Sheet,” by C.M. Rich, Texas Master Naturalist

Camille — Sat, 18 May 2024 15:49:44 +0000

Blooms on the South Texas Sand Sheet

Fishhook Cactus

Red Poppy – pink-flowering form

Blue Curls

Swan Flower

Roadside Guara

Cardinal Feather

Squarebud Daisy

Rio Grande Phlox

Red Poppy – Cow Pen Daisy – Three Lobed Florestina

Red Poppy

Spanish Dagger, Palma Pita

Southern Indian Blanket , Fire Wheel

Yellow Flowered Alicoche

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“Loeflingia Squarrosa” by C. M. Rich, Texas Master Naturalist

Camille — Thu, 07 Mar 2024 01:35:30 +0000

Loeflingia squarrosa

Spreading Pygymyleaf

Family: Caryophyllaceae (Pink Family)

Flower Month: February – August

Bloom Color: White, Yellow

Duration: Annual

Growth Form: Forb

Armed / Unarmed: Unarmed

Leaf Complexity: Simple

Leaf Shape: Subulate

Size Notes: Up to 5” tall

Fruit Type: Capsule

Online sources for the information presented in this photo story:

Lovely microplant!

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“Cochineal – Under the Microscope”

Camille — Tue, 12 Dec 2023 16:26:29 +0000

Micrograph of cochineal nymphs.

“Cochineal – Under the Microcope” by Camille M. Rich, Steward & Texas Master Naturalist

Cochineal insects cruising around on the top of a newly minted dime.

On recent ranch trips over the last couple of months to El Mesteño Ranch and Arboretum, I began noticing what seemed to me to be an extremely large amount of cochineal (Dactylopius coccus) on the Prickly Pear cacti (Opuntia engelmannii var. linderheimeri—significantly more than I had noted in previous years. Here in deep South Texas, we commonly refer to Prickly Pear cacti by its Spanish name “nopal.”

Macro shot of cochineal insects, in their protective waxy coating, resting on top of a dime for size reference.

What makes this year more unusual, as far as my memory can recollect, is that this year the amount of this scale insect seems to have more than doubled from previous years. This got me to thinking. Why is this happening?

Prickly pear exhibiting signs of a heavy cochineal infestation.

Despite a few “Citizen Scientist” theories I have put together to try to better understand (and possibly explain) the cochineal explosion, I really do not have any answers—only more questions. Nevertheless, I now have plenty of scale insects available to be harvested to afford me the opportunity to pick up with a natural dyeing experiment using cochineal that I put on hold about a year and a half ago.

A few exciting, fun facts about cochineal:

Wool fibers naturally dyed with cochineal.

The cochineal insect has been used for centuries to produce a beautiful red pigment.
Historically speaking, the regions of Puebla, Tlaxcala, and Oaxaca, Mexico, had systems for breeding of cochineal and engineering ways to breed them for maximum red pigmentation in the dyes they yielded.
The Mayans and Aztecs used the cochineal pigment in rituals and for trade; red was symbolic of the gods, sun and blood.

Farms where cochineal insects and their host cacti are cultivated together are called “Nopalries.”

I attempted to farm my own cochineal.

This bright red pigment has been used in many works of art, including “The Bedroom” by Vincent van Gogh.
The red pigment became an international symbol for power in Europe, and the secret of its origin was carefully guarded by Spain.
This highly sought after pigment was used in uniforms for the English—hence, the resulting term: English “Redcoats.”

This intense, red pigment became a symbol of authority and was utilized in the robes worn by Roman Catholic clergy.
The red pigment, which is carminic acid, is the product of a substance that the female cochineal uses to protect her eggs from predators.
The white, waxy substance on Prickly Pear cacti pads, which resembles “fluff” or cotton balls, is secreted by the tiny cochineal nymphs to protect them from water loss and the sun.

Microscopic view of what is happening in the “white fluff”:

Male Cochineal are winged and sport a long tail.

In South Africa, some cochineal species have been used as a means of biocontrol for invasive cacti species.
Some insects are natural enemies of the cochineal including lady bugs, ants, parasitic wasps, and lacewings, just to name a few.
Some rodents (most especially rats), birds, and reptiles also feast on cochineal.

Cochineal has been used as a biocontrol in South Africa.

Some insects are natural enemies of the cochineal including lady bugs, ants, parasitic wasps, and lacewings, just to name a few.
Some rodents (most especially rats), birds, and reptiles also feast on cochineal.
It takes approximately 70,000 insects to make one pound of cochineal.
Colors that cochineal can produce include scarlet, crimson, and orange.
In more recent times, cochineal has been replaced by synthetic dyes.
Nevertheless, cochineal continues to be used in cosmetics and beverages.

Macro shot of cochineal nymphs exiting their white fluff. In frame, and for comparison, is a portion of a dime.

After a few months of monitoring this heavy infestation via, walking surveys of the prickly pear population, I have begun to observe what appear to be “end stages” of the effects of the current, heavy cochineal infestation on Prickly Pear cacti.

In the beginning of a cochineal infestation on an individual Prickly Pear cactus, I have observed that the individual’s pads will appear green and plump with moisture—sporting just a few patches of cochineal white “fluff” in the glochids that occur on the surface of the prickly pear pad.

Over time, the amount of white “fluff” increases over the surface area of the prickly pear pad.

Many of the green prickly pear pads, recently, are currently solid white with cochineal “fluff” —giving them the overall appearance of huge, Texas-size cotton balls. Prickly pear pads that have been under heavy cochineal infestation for some time will begin to turn shades of pale yellow or pale green—most assuredly on their way to turning brown, completely drying out, and withering away.

The “wilting” effect:

Prickly pear cactus with a heavy cochineal infestation.

After a few weeks under heavy infestation, I also have begun to observe a simultaneous weakening of the central base structure of the affected Prickly Pear cacti. The afflicted Prickly Pear cacti will look as though they are “wilting” and begin to droop over. Once they have seemingly “wilted,” it becomes difficult for the cactus to bear the weight of their own pads.

From what I can discern, this “wilting” stage appears to most likely be the final stage before an individual cactus ends up on the ground—nothing more than a heap of pale yellow or pale green pads covered in cochineal.

The “end” stage:

Note the damage to the central branch structure of this prickly pear cactus.

After the “wilting effect” progresses to a point of severity that the Prickly Pear cacti gains an overall appearance of sporting pale green or pale yellow pads, combined with additional pads beginning to fall to the earth below, the cacti have entered what I have observed to be the final stage of infestation—the “the end stage.”

Almost as soon as I notice Prickly Pear cactus pads have begun to fall to the ground around what is left of the central base structure of an individual, it seems to be only a matter of a few more days before the cactus is dead.

Sometimes the “end stage” process draws out a big longer—to perhaps even another week or so—if a large Prickly Pear cactus of, say, approximately five to six feet tall in height by approximately six to eight feet in diameter, is under heavy cochineal infestation.

Ultimately, once the Prickly Pear cactus hits the red, sandy soil, there it will remain and continue the process of desiccation—drying up and withering away until it is nothing more than mere brown, crispy pads resembling Texas-size tortilla chips.

Small insect packs a large “punch” on the ecosystem.

Another macro shot of the the white fluff excreted by cochineal nymphs. Note the tubular appearance of portions of the white fluff.

It is quite incredible, really, that such a small insect could wreak such large-scale havoc on hardy, well-armored flora.

Good riddance to the prickly pear? …….maybe not…….

Opuntia engelmannii var. linheimeri, yellow-flowering form

Frankly, in the beginning of this cochineal explosion, I saw the demise of a few Prickly Pear cacti as a bit of a blessing.

Why would I think this?

Well, most of the invasive grasses I battle with my shovel and stirrup hoe happen to be smack dab in the center of huge groups of stickery, thorny, unforgiving Prickly Pear patches. Consequently, I thought that if a few of these Prickly Pear patches died back down, it would help me get in closer to combat the invasive grasses that compete with our native grasses for prime real estate and moisture.

Currently, I am genuinely concerned about the overall status of the Prickly Pear population on my little patch of red, sandy soil.

A Texas Tortoise scuffle. Chicle the donkey, and ranch mascot, breaks it up with his cuteness!

After just a month or so of heavy cochineal infestation, I have observed that the Prickly Pear cacti seem to wither up and die under the effects of a heavy cochineal infestation. This is disconcerting to me as numerous animal inhabitants of this little ranch on the South Texas Sand Sheet utilize Prickly Pear cacti and Prickly Pear tunas as part of their diet throughout the late summer months.

Prickly Pear cacti provide food and shelter for wildlife.

Some of the animals that rely on the Prickly Pear cacti, for instance, include the Texas tortoise, javelina, and coyote, just to name a few. While other animal residents, such as rodents, snakes, and some birds choose the cover and protection of Prickly Pear cacti glochids and spines as the perfect spot to set up their base camps or build their nests. Prickly Pear blooms support numerous insects, including Texas native bees. Oh, and then there is the Prickly Pear jelly that I enjoy making and sharing, but I digress.

Texas tortoises on the South Texas Sand Sheet:

Coyotes on the South Texas Sand Sheet:

Javelina on the South Texas Sand Sheet:

Rodents on the South Texas Sand Sheet:

Snakes on the South Texas Sand Sheet:

Bird diversity on the South Texas Sand Sheet:

Pollinators on the South Texas Sand Sheet:

It is all connected…

Prickly pear cacti are an integral part of not only the South Texas Sand Sheet, but they are also an integral part of the endangeredTamaulipan Thornscrub Thicket that we are fortunate to still have represented in an ever-shrinking native plant habitat in the Rio Grande Valley. We must preserve what is left of our native habitat in Deep South Texas.

“One pot, one plant, one front porch, one frontyard, or one backyard at a time—we can ALL make a difference TOGETHER!”
Camille M. Rich

As a steward, I am going to do my best to try and maintain and preserve some prickly pear cacti.

I am going to keep an eye on the cochineal infestation on the Prickly Pear cacti on my little piece of the South Texas Sand Sheet.

In the Prickly Pear patch areas that are currently under heavy infestation, I am looking forward to, in the near future, significantly large areas of red, sandy soil “opening up” where large Prickly Pear cacti populations have historically crowded out all other forms of native habitat. The biocontrol effects of the Cochineal are helping me remove large areas of Prickly pear cacti that I have battled—for years—with my shovel and machete. These newly “opened up” areas will allow native wildflowers, native grasses, native shrubs, and native trees the opportunity to reforest areas where the Prickly Pear cacti have all but choked them out.

Frankly, the current, heavy Cochineal infestation is beneficial not only for the habitat, but it is also helping me out a great deal. How can this be? Well, the current, heavy Cochineal infestation is definitely saving me time, money spent to hire help, and lots of wear and tear on my hands, arms, legs, and back in the traditional methods of removing prickly pear cacti.

However, I am going to do my best to protect certain portions of the Prickly Pear population that seem to have evaded the current, heavy cochineal infestation. How will I do this? From what I have read, a simple solution of water and unscented dish soap sprayed on the Cochineal infestation will help control them.

As this article comes to a close…..

As I bring this portion of my “deep dive” into Cochineal to a close, I would just like to say that the interconnectedness of habitat and the creatures it supports is critical. This message cannot be overstated, overemphasized, or undershared.

The next phase of my “deep dive” into Cochineal will involve dyeing natural textiles with a dye concentrate extracted from this scale insect. Dyeing textles with Cochineal has been done for centuries, and I am excited to give a try.

Stay tuned. There is definitely more to come.

Wool fibers dyed with cochineal.

Bibliography for this article:

Botanical Colors. “Dyeing for Dummies: The Wonders of Cochineal.” Botanical Colors. Web. 20 June 2014. https://botanicalcolors.com/dyeing-for-dummies-the-wonders-of-cochineal/#:~:text=Cochineal%20is%20a%20red%20dye,Europe%20from%20Mexico%20and%20Peru. Accessed on 16 November 2023.

Britannica, The Editors of Encyclopedia. “Cochineal.” Encyclopedia Britannica. Web.29 Sep. 2023. https://www.britannica.com/technology/cochineal. Accessed 15 November 2023.

Centro de Arte Textil Zapoteco Bii Dauu SC de RL. Facebook Page. Web. https://www.facebook.com/biidauuteotitlandelvalle?locale=es_LA Accessed on 16 November 2023.

Conley, Mrs. Emma, and Mrs. Meta Lewis. “Vegetable Dyeing by Mrs. Emma Conley, Second Edition” Pineland School of Handicrafts, Inc. Pineland, N. C. First edition was printed in 1959. [Print.]

Laveaga, Gabriela Soto. “Cochineal Origins.” YouTube Channel: Harvard Museums of Science and Culture. Web. 19 April 2022. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bkWZw1sPawA Accessed on 15 November 2023. [“In this video from the online exhibit spotlight, ‘Cochineal: How Mexico Made the World See Red,’ Gabriela Soto Laveaga, Professor of the History of Science and Antonio Madero Professor for the Study of Mexico, Harvard University, explains the origins of cochineal.”]

Harvard University. “Cochineal: A Product of Nature.” Harvard Museums of Science & Culture. Web. https://hmsc.harvard.edu/online-exhibits/cochineal1/product-nature/. Accessed 15 November 2023.

Edinburg Scenic Wetlands and World Birding Center, Edinburg, TX. “Cochineal Insect: The Natural Dye.” Edinburg Scenic Wetlands and World Birding Center. Web. 19 June 2021. https://edinburgwbc.org/news/f/cochineal-insect-the-natural-dye Accessed on 16 November 2023.

Miller, Brittany J., Knowable Magazine. “Scientists are Making Cochineal, a Red Dye From Bugs, in the Lab.” 29 March 2022. Smithsonian Magazine. Web. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/innovation/scientists-are-making-cochineal-a-red-dye-from-bugs-in-the-lab-180979828/#. Accessed 15 November 2023.

Tull, Delena. Edible and Useful Plants of Texas and the Southwest: A Practical Guide. 1987. University of Texas Press, Austin. [Print]

Richardson, Alfred, and Ken King. 2011 Plants of Deep South Texas: A Field Guide to the Woody and Flowering Species. College Station: Texas A & M University Press. [Print]

Wikipedia. “Cochineal.” Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia. Web. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cochineal#:~:text=A%20nopal%20cactus%20farm%20for,harvesting%20the%20insects%20by%20hand. Accessed 16 November 2023.

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“Bailey’s Ball Moss” by Camille M. Rich

Camille — Sat, 19 Aug 2023 16:48:28 +0000

I have some Bailey’s ball moss in my backyard that I enjoy tremendously. Some were given to me by friends while others I picked up at either festivals or events and meetings that were part of both the Texas Master Naturalist program and the Native Plant Project. I have had them for several years now and am always amazed when they are in bloom. Their delicate, tiny flowers in hues of blue and violet, are always a nice surprise and joy to behold.

Recently, while out watering plants one muggy morning, I noticed that a couple of dried fruit capsules on one of my Bailey’s ball moss individuals had split open into three parts, and inside each of the split capsules, small, thin, filament type seeds were bursting forth—just waiting to float out into my backyard ecosystem on the gusty, strong wind currents and start the Bailey’s ball moss life cycle all over again.

I dropped my watering hose and ran inside the house to grab my cellphone to snap a few pictures of the delicate seeds before picking up the hose again and giving my potted plants a drink of water before the midday sun began to dry them out once again. I studied one of the dried capsules and its filament-like seeds for a few minutes. The intricate features of the entire flower’s structure sparked my natural curiosity about its pollination. My thoughts seemed to logically transition to the following question, “What could have pollinated this lovely little flower? A hummingbird, perhaps?”

Whenever I admire my Bailey’s ball moss, I think of my Grandma Smith and our visits to the Santa Ana Wildlife Refuge in Alamo, Texas. She was fascinated by Spanish Moss and was always dazzled by how it hung from trees high up in the riparian canopy on the refuge trails’ twists and turns. Many treasured moments passed under this canopy as we looked up together and admired the long, textured, living scarf that appeared to be artfully strewn over and draped around the branches hanging above us.

As I reflect on our times looking at plants in the Rio Grande Valley, I know that my Grandma Smith and I never saw any Bailey’s ball moss together. I would have remembered this. Regretfully, I do not know if she ever had the opportunity to see Bailey’s ball moss in person, either. Nevertheless, I know that she would have loved this plant just as much, if not more than I do.

Right about now, you may be wondering why I am mentioning Spanish moss in a story about Bailey’s ball moss. Could Bailey’s ball moss and Spanish moss possibly share something in common? It turns out that they have quite a lot in common. For starters, they are both members of the Bromeliad family, and would you believe that neither one of them is a true moss?

They are also both epiphytes. This means that they do not take any water or nutrients from the host plant material that they cling on to. They are simply using their host plant as an anchor. Instead, Bailey’s ball moss and Spanish moss get their water and nutrients from the air around them.

In Plants of Deep South Texas, we learn that the distribution of Bailey’s ball moss in the Rio Grande Valley is in Cameron, Hidalgo, and Willacy Counties. We also learn that Bailey’s ball moss has an affinity for Ebony trees, and it is threatened by fox squirrels (that were introduced into our area). The squirrels “eat the hearts of the plants, discarding the rest.”

Additionally, in Plants of Deep South Texas, we learn that Spanish Moss is found in Cameron and Hidalgo Counties. “Spanish moss was used extensively for stuffing cushions until synthetic materials became available. A word of warning: various pests can be hiding in Spanish moss.”

I learned numerous, fascinating pieces of information about Bailey’s Ball Moss in Remarkable Plants of Texas, but there is one fact that practically leapt off the page at me. I was amazed (and awestruck) at the suggestion that because this plant absorbs “multiple airborne trace substances that can be extracted and quantified, and because of their high ratio between surface area and mass…they provide a cheap and easy way to assess air contamination in a given locale.”

Remarkable Plants of Texas also lists some amazing facts about Spanish moss, as well. For example, “Spanish moss has been employed successfully in Brazil to monitor atmospheric mercury in and around gold workshops, and ball moss has been utilized in two industrialized cities in Colombia to ascertain the degree of pollution from heavy metals, pesticides, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons.” Wow.

Who would have ever thought that Bailey’s ball moss and Spanish moss are actually “Native Plant Super Heros?” They are key players in the fight against pollution across the world. We must continue to protect, care for, and promote knowledge of and the use of not only these two native plants, but all native plants. Native plants hold so many keys to the history, health, and stability of the ecosystems on our planet. Knowledge is power, and we must unite to spread the word about how important native plants are to our very existence.

In closing, I have to say that I thoroughly enjoyed researching Bailey’s ball moss. I pulled several books from my personal library to locate information for this story. In the process, I learned many new, exciting facts about this unique, treasured plant that hangs in a basket beneath the shade of my Guajillo tree. I invite you to read more about Bailey’s ball moss. In addition to Plants of Deep South Texas and Remarkable Plants of Texas, the following list of texts offer detailed information on this epiphyte as well.

…tiny flowers in hues of blue and violet….

Sources (and Resources):

Eason, Michael. Wildflowers of Texas. Oregon: Timber Press, Inc, 2018, page 118.
Richardson, Alfred, and Ken King. Plants of Deep South Texas. College Station: Texas A & M University Press, 2011, pages 28 – 29.
Poole, Jackie M., William R. Carr, Dana M. Price, & Jason R. Singhurst. Rare Plants of Texas. College Station: Texas A & M University Press, 2007, pages 494 – 495.
Richardson, Alfred. Wildflowers and Other Plants of Texas Beaches and Islands. Austin: University of Texas Press, 2002, page 26.
Turner, Matt Warnock. Remarkable Plants of Texas. Austin: University of Texas Press, 2009, pages 278 – 283.

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In Celebration of National Pollinator Week 2023!

Camille — Fri, 23 Jun 2023 03:52:42 +0000

A Long-horned bee making a “beeline” for Cowpen Daisy.

Images are of a male Black-legged, long-horned native bee, (Svastra atripes), nectaring on Cowpen Daisy in Puerto Rico, Texas.

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“Where the Water Trough Overflows,” by C. M. Rich

Camille — Sat, 20 May 2023 16:03:22 +0000

Many miles walked in that footwear dragging hoses around to water livestock and native plant material.

Where the water trough overflows, a dirt border is built to contain and hold precious drops of water as it spills out over the top and out onto the South Texas Sand Sheet.

Where the water trough overflows, a young Brasil tree’s roots are like anchors, providing excellent erosion control as they dig and cut deep down into the loose, red, sandy soil.

Where the water trough overflows, after a fashion, green, native plant material begins to spring up next to sturdier shrubs that have been by the water trough’s side from years before.

Where the water trough overflows, Cowpen daisies Tiny Tim, and Three Lobed Florestina grow, thrive, and feed a plethora of pollinators, including an American bumble bee.

Where the water trough overflows, Pipevine Swallow tails float on warm, breezy currents as they dart in and around mature Wild Olive trees sporting fresh, crisp, white blooms and bright green, soft leaves.

Microecosystems spring up and offer native fauna respite from the drought conditions.

Where the water trough overflows, Hummingbirds, Green Jays, Northern Cardinals, Long-billed Thrashers, Pyrrhuloxias, Groove-billed Anis, Northern Bobwhite, Great Kiskadees, and White-winged Doves take refuge in the arms of Lotebush and Colima.

Where the water trough overflows, native plant material provides shade and cover for insects, birds, lizards, and all manner of creeping, crawling, slithering, living things.

Where the water trough overflows, an unexpected, wonderful microecosystem will spring up and sustain life when significant amounts of native habitat have all but dried out to mere sticks and twigs due to lack of precipitation.

An American bumble bee nectaring on Cowpen daisy.

Where the water trough overflows, flora will grow and all manner of fauna will be attracted to it.

A new frog species was discovered in the wet earth where the water trough overflows.

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“How an American bumble bee changed the way I accomplish things,” by Camille M. Rich

Camille — Fri, 19 May 2023 22:11:36 +0000

On one particularly hot, humid Spring Day, back in 2022, before I began working on my chore list at the ranch and arboretum for that day, I took a few moments to glance around at the habitat to see if anything of note stood out that needed to be addressed first. Although I did not see anything that warranted it be urgently moved to the top of my chore list for that day, one thing was glaringly apparent. There were no blooms on any plant material to speak of. Drought conditions had negatively affected the entire Tamaulipan Thornscrub habitat, right down to the lack of wildflowers. As I skimmed and scanned, I was disheartened to note that there were very few native pollinators out and about either.

As a Citizen Scientist and Texas Master Naturalist, the lack of bountiful blooms, and just a handful of native pollinators observed on a quick walking tour that day, was both troubling and problematic. Truthfully, I was horrified and saddened. I felt an overwhelming need to try and arrive at some sort of solution to the current state of the dry, arid, bloomless habitat on the spot. However, temperatures rose quickly, and I needed to get to work. Therefore, I tucked the dilemma away for future contemplation and moved forward with my list of chores.

After almost a full day of work in the hot sun, I was exhausted. Consequently, I took a moment to stop and enjoy the beautiful clouds that hung effortlessly in the sky for a few minutes so I could catch my breath. That is about the time I noticed an extremely large black and yellow bee on a Cowpen daisy. A pollinator! I quickly grabbed my cellphone and began recording video of this large, fuzzy bee. Almost as soon as I began recording the bee, it flew off. I hoped that I had been able to get enough video of the bee to distinguish which native bee it might have been.

I stepped over into the shade of a Mesquite tree and reviewed the video. Much to my surprise, the bee I had recorded was an American bumble bee! I was ecstatic as this was my first American bumble bee sighting on the property. Additionally, given the fact that just hours before I had observed a mere handful of native pollinators flying, buzzing, and darting around, it lifted my spirits and gave me hope. I prolonged my rest break and spent a few more minutes trying to figure out why an American bumble bee had visited the property. Was there something I could learn from this large, fuzzy bee?

After a few minutes of staring at the little green patch of blooming native plant material where I had seen the bee, it occurred to me that the reason the bee was on the Cowpen daisy was because it was one of the few plants that was in bloom at the time. That made perfect sense. My mind quickly moved on to the question, “Why was the daisy blooming?” The daisy was blooming, because it had grown up beside the livestock water trough and had access to water that overflowed out of the trough and out onto the soil.

It was at that precise moment that I had my epiphany: “What if I corralled the water overflowing out of the livestock trough to help increase blooming, native plant material year-round?” That question was quickly followed by, “How could I corral the water?” The answer to that question was immediately obvious to me. After watching my grandparents working in their yard for years, I knew I could install a dirt border around the low spot that had naturally formed beside the livestock water trough. That was simple enough, and totally doable. All I needed was my shovel and time dedicated to both creating and maintaining the dirt border. I immediately got back to work and took my shovel and created a dirt border around the edge of a single livestock water trough.

Things have not been the same since I began corralling “overflow” water in 2022. I am happy to report that areas around numerous livestock water troughs are now sporting dirt borders of their own and boasting lush areas of native plant material loaded with blooms. All manner of pollinators, as well as other wildlife, have also come to rely on these small microecosystems, if you will, for their food, shelter, and nesting material. That single, solitary American bumble bee gets all the credit for flying into my life and getting my attention, causing me to ponder and extend my thinking to methods that I could find and utilize to increase thriving, blooming, native plant material for pollinators that involved minimal cost and minimal labor.

In closing, I must share the latest, extraordinary chapter in this story. On a hot, humid spring day this year, I observed and documented another single, solitary American bumble bee visiting a Cowpen daisy not ten (10) feet from the exact spot where I spotted an American bumble bee visiting a Cowpen daisy on that fateful hot, humid day back in the Spring of 2022. Pretty cool, right?

Microecosystem of various native plant material in the area surrounding this livestock water trough.

Where the water trough overflows…..

The post “How an American bumble bee changed the way I accomplish things,” by Camille M. Rich appeared first on El Mesteño Ranch and Arboretum.