Voracious Slinkies

White-lined Sphynx Moth larvae (hiles lineata) are extremely large and can occur in mass. Two broods of caterpillars emerge from eggs each year. The larvae have a distinctive hook at the tail. These soft-bodied rhinos are voracious eating machines. Prairie hosts include Evening Primrose, Toothed Spurge, and Purslane.

The larva have three pair of true legs in the thoracic area and four prolegs in the abdominal section. The prolegs are not true legs. They are small fleshy stubs with a tiny circle of gripping hooks called crochets. The prolegs move via hydraulics. The larva have about 4,000 muscles. They move by contracting their muscles, which slides their internal organs forward. The body elongates and then contracts--picture a slinky. They breathe through openings along their sides called spiracles.

The caterpillar life cycle includes a series of moults before they pupate in shallow burrows in the ground. They have very diverse coloration. I expect a large population of White-lined Sphynx Moths in a couple of weeks.

© Ilija Lukić 2011

Breakfast Buffet

Voracious Defoliator

Dark Morph

Green Rhino

Eating Machine

Cryptic Coloration

Worm Sign

Prairie Slinky

Green Is Beautiful

White-Lined Sphynx Moth Larva

La Cabeza Calva Verde

Prairie Lace

Heavy rains always rouse life forces on the Llano Estacado and renew my appreciation of her many intricate mysteries. Cooper and I insert ourselves cautiously into what promises to be a joyous mud fest. We’re not disappointed. Mud clings unavoidably to boots and canine paws--yippie-ki-yay!

Unexpectedly, a milieu of delicate wings diverts my attention from the dirt quagmire. Winged subterranean termites attended by workers and soldiers weave intricate patterns of prairie lace across the red soil. This alate swarm is termite royalty. These kings and queens of future colonies escape their earthbound existence in throngs to abate the impact of predation. They will shed their fragile wings soon after flying to a suitable new nesting site.

Colonies of Arid-land Subterranean Termites persevere on the open prairie. They integrate self-organized castes of nest members within a decentralized system of activities with swarm intelligence. Termites divide labor among castes of workers, soldiers, and reproductive individuals. Interactions of the distinct elements result in coherent patterns of behavior necessary to exploit their habitat for food and shelter, reproduce, and provide for defense from predators.

© Ilija Lukić 2011

Pre-Flight Hullabaloo

Future Kings And Queens

Termite Royalty

Ronda De Baile - Round Dance

Termite Swarm (alates, workers, and soldiers)

Arid-Land SubterraneanTermite Alates

Milkweed Silk

Milkweed flourish worldwide and derive their common name from the milky juice released when injured. Centuries-long, folk-medicinal uses inspire its Latin genus asclepias, after the Greek god of healing, Asclepius.

On the Llano Estacado the drought-tolerant Broadleaf Milkweed, asclepias latifolia, dominates. This milkweed produces seeds in pod-like structures called follicles. When ripe the follicles dehisce, that is, they burst open along the ventral suture. This exposes overlapping rows of seeds. Each seed includes numerous silky, white filaments of pappus to promote dispersal on even the lightest breath of prairie wind. The filaments are hollow and have a waxy coating, which gives them insulation qualities equal to down feathers. Milkweed silk is an excellent hypoallergenic pillow filling.

The aesthetic qualities of milkweed silk illuminated by sunlight outweigh its practical uses. Its wispy seeds dancing on prairie breezes conjure fantasies of gossamer-winged, mythical fairies.

© Ilija Lukić 2011

Wind On Cottontop Flats

In the wake of his morning prairie romp into the parched plain of Eastern New Mexico, followed by a hearty meal, Cooper settles down for a requisite snooze. He drifts into dreamland. His paws twitch rhythmically. His nose chases scents of prairie quarry. His tail pounds the floor with every turn of the pursuit. Ears pinned back, his breathing labors as he obliges a large prairie hare with a foot race. In the language of my Serbian forefathers, Сања Од Сребрених Таласа На Мору Трабе - He Dreams Of Silver Waves On The Sea Of Grass.

In my mind’s eye I join Cooper in yesteryear’s waist high seas of cottontop grass straw on the Llano Estacado. The expanse we call Cottontop Flats remains a favorite. A brisk September wind roughhouses with the supple stalks and propels burnished ripples of silver swells across the surface. Cooper joyously surfs the wind-driven waves. He’s on the prowl for play pals--hare and doves.

In the prolific fields of my mind these daydreams ease the reality of a drought-stricken land. My heart bleeds for my brethren farmers, ranchers, and others whose life revolves around sod and soil. They cling to scant straws of hope. But, they do not surrender to the tribulations. They inspire us.

I pause and listen to the whispers of the prairie wind in this year’s cottontop straw. It already carries a hint of autumn. Relief is nigh!

© Ilija Lukić 2011

Сања Од Сребрених Таласа На Мору Трабе - He Dreams Of Silver Waves On The Sea Of Grass (Cooper)

Pathfinder (Cooper)

Bird Alert (Cooper)

Cottontop Straw Tapestry

Surfing The Sea Of Grass (Cooper)

Taste Of The Autumn Prairie Winds (Cooper)

Arizona Cottontop Flats

Broad Brush Strokes

Jubilant Melodies

Local weather prognosticators conspire to break the three-digit temperature record set in 1922. It would be a fitting finale for a summer of scorching heat and limited rainfall. I pray they are wrong. 

Cooper and I head into the prairie in 70°F temperatures tempered by brisk southwesterly winds. My expectations of signature images materialize very early into our trek. Metallic shimmers of countless dragonfly wings light up the prairie. The aerial acrobats perch on tips of yucca skeletons in pre-flight warmup mode. I pause to savor the moment. Cooper dances and pounces through the dry stalks of Silver Bluestem grasses. He is content to flush and chase speedy lizards.

We push on and discover a treasure trove of activity. Harvester Ants wrestle with dried grass stalks piled near the nest entrance. The haphazard scattering of straws reminds me of a game of pick-up-sticks. Blue-fringed Ground Beetles scamper across dry vegetation and stop sporadically to devour Red Harvester Ants. A Bullsnake objects to our approach with glottal rattles and nasty hisses. We hold up until it moves into cover. Pocket Gophers push crescent-shaped mounds of cool, dark soil into the sunlight.  And against azure canopy of New Mexico skies a wake of Turkey Vultures rides air currents in their daily grind of sanitation chores. Black-tailed Prairie Dogs remain conspicuously absent. I fear they are casualties of the persistent drought.

Our sojourn includes several mandatory respites in the sparse shade of lonesome Siberian Elms struggling to survive the arid year. On the bright side, recent rains have started an eruption of colorful flora. Their persistence to flower amazes me. My spirit soars at the sight of their beauty and nudges my heart into jubilant melodies.

© Ilija Lukić 2011

Plains Zinnia
(zinnia grandiflora)

Bushel Of Prairie Primrosa
(desmanthus leptolobus, aka Prairie Bundleflower)

Змије На Мом Уму (Snakes On My Mind)

Morning Round Of Pick-Up-Sticks
(pogonomyrmex rugosus)

Praire Bundleflower
(dismanthus leptolobus)

Silverleaf Nightshade
(solanum elaeagnifolium, aka White Horsenettle)

Larger Than Life (Cooper)

Sawtooth Kisses
(haplopappus ciliatus, aka Sawtooth Daisy)

Lemon Smooch
(haplopappus ciliatus, aka Wax Goldenweed)

Silverleaf Nightshade Patrol (Cooper)

Goathead Smiles
(tribulus terrestris)

Devil's Eyelashes
(tribulus terrestris)

Devil's Thorn - Cooper's Nemesis
(tribulus terrestris, aka Puncturevive, Bullhead)

Shady Respite (Cooper)

On the Prowl
(libellula pulchella, aka Twelve-Spotted Skimmer)