Thorn Thicket Archives - El Mesteño Ranch and Arboretum https://elmestenoranch.com/category/thorn-thicket/ Hidalgo County, Texas Tue, 08 Oct 2024 14:51:11 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.5.5 https://elmestenoranch.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/cropped-20180808_093253-1-32x32.jpg Thorn Thicket Archives - El Mesteño Ranch and Arboretum https://elmestenoranch.com/category/thorn-thicket/ 32 32 194751585 “Male Mesoxaea texana on the South Texas Sand Sheet” https://elmestenoranch.com/2024/10/_/6191/ Tue, 08 Oct 2024 14:49:50 +0000 https://elmestenoranch.com/?p=6191 by C. M. Rich, Texas Master Naturalist Male Mesoxaea texana nectaring on Waltheria indica. Thank you for visiting elmestenoranch.com!

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

]]>
by C. M. Rich, Texas Master Naturalist

Male Mesoxaea texana nectaring on Waltheria indica.

“Knocking the competition off the bloom!”

Thank you for visiting elmestenoranch.com!

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

]]>
6191
“Female Mesoxaea texana on the South Texas Sand Sheet” https://elmestenoranch.com/2024/10/_/6166/ Tue, 08 Oct 2024 14:32:49 +0000 https://elmestenoranch.com/?p=6166 by C. M. Rich, Texas Master Naturalist Female Mesoxaea texana nectaring on Waltheria indica. Thank you for visiting elmestenoranch.com!

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

]]>
by C. M. Rich, Texas Master Naturalist

Female Mesoxaea texana nectaring on Waltheria indica.

Thank you for visiting elmestenoranch.com!

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

]]>
6166
“Mesoxaea texana nectaring on Waltheria indica on the South Texas Sand Sheet!” https://elmestenoranch.com/2024/09/_/6117/ Mon, 02 Sep 2024 03:38:17 +0000 https://elmestenoranch.com/?p=6117 by C. M. Rich, Texas Master Naturalist

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

]]>
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.

]]>
6117
“Tepanec Long-horned Bees Nectaring on Coma on the South Texas Sand Sheet,” by C. M. Rich, Texas Master Naturalist https://elmestenoranch.com/2024/08/_/5847/ Fri, 16 Aug 2024 15:44:59 +0000 https://elmestenoranch.com/?p=5847 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

The post “Tepanec Long-horned Bees Nectaring on Coma on the South Texas Sand Sheet,” by C. M. Rich, Texas Master Naturalist appeared first on El Mesteño Ranch and Arboretum.

]]>
Tepanec Long-horned Bee ~ Melissodes tepaneca

About the Texas native bee:

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:

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.
  • 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. 
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.

The post “Tepanec Long-horned Bees Nectaring on Coma on the South Texas Sand Sheet,” by C. M. Rich, Texas Master Naturalist appeared first on El Mesteño Ranch and Arboretum.

]]>
5847
“Roemer’s Acacia” by C.M. Rich, Texas Master Naturalist https://elmestenoranch.com/2024/05/_/5909/ Sat, 18 May 2024 19:45:00 +0000 https://elmestenoranch.com/?p=5909 Roemer’s Acacia Senegalia roemeriana “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

The post “Roemer’s Acacia” by C.M. Rich, Texas Master Naturalist appeared first on El Mesteño Ranch and Arboretum.

]]>
Roemer’s Acacia

Exquisite blooms…
Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center 
Native Plant Society of Texas

Texas Native Plant Database

Texas Native Plant Database

The post “Roemer’s Acacia” by C.M. Rich, Texas Master Naturalist appeared first on El Mesteño Ranch and Arboretum.

]]>
5909
“Blooms on the South Texas Sand Sheet,” by C.M. Rich, Texas Master Naturalist https://elmestenoranch.com/2024/05/_/5888/ Sat, 18 May 2024 15:49:44 +0000 https://elmestenoranch.com/?p=5888 Blooms on the South Texas Sand Sheet Want to share this with others? Archives

The post “Blooms on the South Texas Sand Sheet,” by C.M. Rich, Texas Master Naturalist appeared first on El Mesteño Ranch and Arboretum.

]]>
Blooms on the South Texas Sand Sheet

The post “Blooms on the South Texas Sand Sheet,” by C.M. Rich, Texas Master Naturalist appeared first on El Mesteño Ranch and Arboretum.

]]>
5888
“Loeflingia Squarrosa” by C. M. Rich, Texas Master Naturalist https://elmestenoranch.com/2024/03/_/5823/ Thu, 07 Mar 2024 01:35:30 +0000 https://elmestenoranch.com/?p=5823 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:

The post “Loeflingia Squarrosa” by C. M. Rich, Texas Master Naturalist appeared first on El Mesteño Ranch and Arboretum.

]]>
Loeflingia squarrosa

Spreading Pygymyleaf

Online sources for the information presented in this photo story:

  1. Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center
  2. U. S. Fish & Wildlife Service
  3. United States Geological Survey
  4. Burke Herbarium Image Collection
  5. iNaturalist
Lovely microplant!

The post “Loeflingia Squarrosa” by C. M. Rich, Texas Master Naturalist appeared first on El Mesteño Ranch and Arboretum.

]]>
5823
“Cochineal Gallery” by C. M. Rich, Texas Master Naturalist https://elmestenoranch.com/2024/03/_/5813/ Wed, 06 Mar 2024 22:12:59 +0000 https://elmestenoranch.com/?p=5813 Cochineal Gallery of Images…

The post “Cochineal Gallery” by C. M. Rich, Texas Master Naturalist appeared first on El Mesteño Ranch and Arboretum.

]]>
Cochineal Gallery of Images…

The post “Cochineal Gallery” by C. M. Rich, Texas Master Naturalist appeared first on El Mesteño Ranch and Arboretum.

]]>
5813
“Cochineal: The Rest of My Story,” by C. M. Rich, Texas Master Naturalist https://elmestenoranch.com/2024/03/_/5704/ Wed, 06 Mar 2024 21:39:55 +0000 https://elmestenoranch.com/?p=5704 “Cochineal:  The Rest of My Story” In the last edition of “The Chachalaca,” I went into detail about the substantial amounts of cochineal on the prickly pear cacti population at El Mesteño Ranch and Arboretum over the last six (6) months.  I shared research about the historical use and economic importance of scale insects.  I most especially had a lot of fun photographing them under my microscope. However, my article, “Cochineal:  Under the Microscope,” was just the first part of my cochineal story. This article will bring my cochineal story

The post “Cochineal: The Rest of My Story,” by C. M. Rich, Texas Master Naturalist appeared first on El Mesteño Ranch and Arboretum.

]]>
“Cochineal:  The Rest of My Story”

  • Textiles dyed: 100% Raw silk fabric, 100% cotton fabric, 100% cotton yarn, 50% / 50% cotton blend fabric, synthetic fibers (lace type), and gauze.
  • Mordants used for dyeing textiles: Alum and Cream of Tartar
  • Ready-made canvases.
  • Watercolor paper.
  • Inexpensive white acrylic paint.
  • Paint brushes and eyedroppers.
  • Melted wax, which was used to experiment with the Batik method of dyeing.
  • Recycled paper scraps, an old blender, plastic tubs, buckets, sponges (to remove excess water from paper pulp), and a mould and deckle (that I made from old picture frames and plastic screen repair fabric) to make the homemade recycled paper and seed paper.
  • Wildflower seeds, which were collected from the South Texas Sand Sheet, for use on the homemade seed paper.
  • Natural materials, like leaves, rocks, twigs, orange slices, and coffee grounds, to create designs on watercolor paper.
  • Using an eye dropper to create designs on both ready-made canvases and watercolor paper that I purchased at a local big box store.
  • Drizzling cochineal extract over nature textures on watercolor paper to see what impressions were left behind once the nature material was removed.
  • Mixing the cochineal dye extract with white acrylic paint to achieve a more uniform material that adhered nicely to the ready-made canvases when applied with a simple, inexpensive paint brush.

The post “Cochineal: The Rest of My Story,” by C. M. Rich, Texas Master Naturalist appeared first on El Mesteño Ranch and Arboretum.

]]>
5704
“Cochineal – Under the Microscope” https://elmestenoranch.com/2023/12/_/5612/ Tue, 12 Dec 2023 16:26:29 +0000 https://elmestenoranch.com/?p=5612 Micrograph of cochineal nymphs.

The post “Cochineal – Under the Microscope” appeared first on El Mesteño Ranch and Arboretum.

]]>
Micrograph of cochineal nymphs.
Cochineal insects cruising around on the top of a newly minted dime.

Macro shot of cochineal insects, in their protective waxy coating, resting on top of a dime for size reference.
Prickly pear exhibiting signs of a heavy cochineal infestation.
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.

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.
Prickly pear cactus with a heavy cochineal infestation.
Note the damage to the central branch structure of this prickly pear cactus.
Another macro shot of the the white fluff excreted by cochineal nymphs. Note the tubular appearance of portions of the white fluff.
Opuntia engelmannii var. linheimeri, yellow-flowering form
Chicle and Texas Tortoise
A Texas Tortoise scuffle. Chicle the donkey, and ranch mascot, breaks it up with his cuteness!
Camille M. Rich
Wool fibers dyed with cochineal.

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.

The post “Cochineal – Under the Microscope” appeared first on El Mesteño Ranch and Arboretum.

]]>
5612