Last year it was way too hot to come to Ajo until later in October, but this year, it isn’t too bad, so far. The big difference is that there has been rain this summer and that helps cool the ground and keeps the surface temperature lower. Last year it was so dry that all the vegetation was brown, this year everything is green. The herping has been great, as I already verified by finding my first ever Rosy Boa. Most nights I go out and find at least a few snakes, but nearly all are Western Diamondbacks or Sidewinders. I have seen one Long-nosed Snake. At the top of the list of what I want is Tiger Rattlesnake, Speckled Rattlesnake, Western Shovel-nosed Snake, and Coral Snake, and there are more that could turn up. Arizona has 52 species of snakes! Today I found a Regal Horned Lizard, only the second one I’ve seen and the first for the Ajo area.
Regal Horned Lizard, very small so just recently hatched. The county has just repaved the road that comes out to the campground. The fresh, black asphalt makes it easy to spot snakes and lizards. I would have never seen this one otherwise. It is probably about 2 inches long. Separated from other horned lizards by the four horns on the back of the head all touching at the base. Side view of Regal Horned Lizard. Last night I was making a turn around on a dirt road when I saw something hopping in the shadows. I thought it was a cottontail rabbit at first but it was a giant Sonoran Toad. One has to see these to appreciate how big they are. A Cloudless Sulphur in Alamo Canyon. There were hundreds of these big sulphurs. This is from Granite Gap. One night I went out to look around and saw that my hummingbird feeder was overrun with Honeypot Ants. They are mostly nocturnal and they sure liked that sugar water.
One reply on “Ajo, Late Summer 2021”
The giant Sonoran toad sure is a big fella! Great pictures!
One reply on “Ajo, Late Summer 2021”
The giant Sonoran toad sure is a big fella! Great pictures!