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Century-old Grave Gets TLC

On Oct. 21, the Mustangs 4-H Clover Buds met at an abandoned  grave near the Sonoita Crossroads. Their goal was to restore the identity of the grave’s occupant which had been nearly lost for decades. Using rakes, paint brushes, shovels, and trowels, the Clover Buds started cleaning up the gravesite. A new coat of white paint […]

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What Is That?

Photo by Cam Schlappy The Painted Grasshopper (Dactylotum bicolor) uses its bright coloration and bold stripes to warn predators to avoid them. Adults are present in late summer and early autumn. These grasshoppers eat low growing forbs and rarely attack crops. They use the sun to regulate their body temperature. In the morning they can […]

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What Is That?

Encrusting Desert Termites. Photo taken in Rain Valley by the author. Encrusting desert termites do not tunnel into wood. Instead they encase surface plant matter (and even cattle dung) in a tube gallery constructed of mud and saliva. They are active on the surface in the cooler times of day and at night. They are […]