We went to the Desert Studies Center at Zzyzx for a weekend workshop to learn about insects, scorpions, and other neat stuff that we encountered.
On our first night, we found some glowing scorpions with our uv flashlights. But the next day, we discovered one that we'll never forget. He impressed everybody with his size and quickness! The Desert Hairy scorpion is the largest scorpion in North America. They live in burrows that they dig in the sand.
See for yourself!
Scorpions need to watch out for the Shovel-nosed snake. It's harmless to us but it can sneak up on its prey by "swimming" under the soft sand. This snake has a lot of growing to do to be able to catch that huge scorpion.
Looks can be deceiving. No mistaking the danger of picking up a scorpion but these Velvet Ants might look harmless with their furry bodies. Don't be fooled! They are actually wingless wasps with one of the most painful stingers. Their nicknames include cow killer and horse crippler.
The Tarantula Hawk Wasp also has a potent stinger. They drink nectar from plants like this Milkweed plant but they hunt Tarantulas. When the female finds one, she paralyzes it with her deadly stinger. She drops it into a hole that she digs and then she lays an egg on the victim so her larvae will be nourished while it grows. Surprisingly, they aren't the only ones with this deadly tactic.
In the search for insects, we also discovered lizards. This tiny Side-blotched lizard did a bit of exploring before returning to the sand.
Lucky for us, we spotted a Desert Tortoise crossing the road. They are hard to see since they spend so much time in their burrows to cope with the harsh environment. They are federally protected as well since their population has declined.
We stopped to watch it make the LONG journey across the street. If a tortoise is frightened, it can lose its stored water. They are also susceptible to contracting diseases from humans so for these reasons, it is best not to touch them.
Another neat surprise was finding this Roadrunner camouflaged in a Cholla cactus. What a place to rest!
We explored a part of the desert filled with cinder cones and volcanic rock beds. Buried under the ground is a lava tube formed when the outer edges of the flowing lava cooled and hardened.
To enter the lava tube, we first had to climb down this ladder.
The space narrows and then opens up into a cavern with "windows" that allow the rays of the sun to illuminate this special space. A weekend filled with scorpions, stinging insects, lizards, snakes, a tortoise, a roadrunner and an ancient lava tube. Would we do it again? Absolutely, but not until it cools off!
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