"Dinosaur" on the Mountain

What a day! While photographing a blue- throated Western Fence lizard, I turned to get a better photo and discovered this "dinosaur" - The Coast Horned Lizard. Since this is my very first sighting in the mountains of this unique lizard, I was quite excited!

Most lizards take off for safety when I spot them. Not this one! It moved very slowly. Besides being able to disappear into its habitat through camouflage, it is totally covered in spikes. If it is jostled and threatened, it will shoot blood from its eyeballs up to 6 feet. Sounds impressive, doesn't it?

Snakes know better than to get impaled by swallowing one of these lizards.

Don't be intimidated by this fierce looking lizard. It is actually helping us out. It's diet consists mainly of ants. It has more to fear than we do with habitat destruction, off road vehicles and ant killers.

So after posting this blog last night, I discovered another Horned Lizard down in Garner Valley. Two in 24 hours! How lucky is that?

Cheers to the Horned Lizard!

Click on photos to enlarge.

Photos and content by Robin Roberts.

Cheers to the "Hummer Moth"

The White-lined Sphinx Moth, "Hummer Moth", is amazing to watch! It actually hovers over flowers extending its long proboscis. At first glance, you may mistake it for a hummingbird.

I have never noticed them before moving to Idyllwild but I guess I wasn't observant in our previous home. They live across the country so check out your own garden. You may have them, too!

During the Spring migration of the Swainson's Hawks through Borrego Springs, these caterpillars cover the land. Many of them end up as lunch for the hungry hawks but not all of them.

A few days ago, one of these moths found its way inside our porch. Unfortunately, most insects never make it back outside. That wasn't going to happen to this cool moth!

When I tried to place it on its favorite nectar plant in our yard, the Manzanita, it was reluctant to leave my hand. 

Living in the San Bernardino Mts where the Lemon Lily, Lilium parry, was once abundant, I was shocked to read that the White-lined Sphinx Moth is a key pollinator of this rare plant. 

Cheers to the "Hummer Moth"!

"We can only be said to be alive in those moments when our hearts are conscious of our treasures."

Thornton Wilder

Click on photos to enlarge.

Photos and content by Robin Roberts