Trans-Pecos Chapter Texas Master Naturalist

(Late post from August 17th)

Our first Saturday of our inaugural Junior Master Naturalist Adventure (camp) is one for the books. We had a total of 10 kids and 6 adults in attendance. Brooke, Education and Curatorial Associate, first led the group through the Exploring the Past part of the museum. After that, she took them out by the Pavillion to teach them how to use the atlatl, an ancient weapon used to throw spears. As you can imagine, the kids had a blast and couldn't get enough of it. Finally, Brooke taught and had them make their very own paint brushes out of palm leaves. The kids then got to paint with them. We had some remarkable artists in the group. Whew! 4 more Saturdays to go. I encourage you to drop by our event or volunteer for it. You will be rewarded just by watching the joy and wonder in the kids' expressions.

For those of you who have visited our outreach table at events around town, you may be aware that one of the animal pelts we have on display is the American Badger. Folks ask us if there really are badgers in our area. While they may not be casually sighted in our neighborhoods, they do live in more isolated areas likely in our mountain ranges and large open fields. Now, this particular badger has defied that stereotype. We found this photo on a Nextdoor App post. The person posting about it thought it might belong to someone in the area. We certainly hope that is not the case. More than likely, this ferocious furry is young and trying to establish its own territory or has been displaced by much of the urbanization occurring in the East Side. This one was hanging out in the Sun Fire Park area. One our members advised the person who posted about it, to not approach it and instead call 311 to report the sighting. 311 will take care of notifying the proper agency. While no particular agency may respond to a mere sighting of a badger, at least they will have the information on file for further notice.


Photo credit: Bertha C.

Happy Wednesday folks! Here is a beautiful share from Sierra de Juarez. Enjoy!

Informative read about how citizens can help protect the Wakeem/Teschner Nature Preserve of Resler Canyon. Share the news with other nature loving folks, please.

El Paso nature preserve needs our help Here at the El Paso Zoo and Botanical Gardens we make supporting our conservation education partners a high priority.   One of those partners in the Frontera Land Alliance, a nationally a…

Don't miss out on this wonderful opportunity to learn how to garden with native plants! No registration is required for this event. Attendees need only sign-in upon arrival.

~Save Water, Use Colorful Native Plants~
Saturday, August 10, 11AM to 12PM
Please arrive a few minutes early to allow for signing in before the presentation begins.

More photos of kids enjoying Insect Night at El Paso Museum of Archaeology last Friday evening. They had as much fun as we did! We greatly enjoy opportunities to conduct outreach at events that we are invited to.

We will have an outreach table at Insect Night this Friday evening. Come out and enjoy all the insect activities. Don't forget to visit us too. 😁🪰🐝🐛🦋🐞🐜🪲🪳🦗

Desert Bighorn Sheep coming to Franklin Mountains State Park around October!

Desert Bighorn Sheep are returning to the Sun city - KVIA EL PASO, Texas (KVIA)-- Today Texas Parks and Wild life hosted a seminar for the community discussing the reintroduction of Desert Bighorn Sheep. Topics discussed during the seminar included the history of desert bighorns, challenges they face and important role the Franklin Mountains plays in this....

Join us at our beautiful Knapp Land Nature Preserve to learn about the fascinating geological features we can discover with Geology Expert: Jay Chapman 🤩

Happy World Snake Day! 🐍

Happy ! Did you know Texas is home to 100+ different species and subspecies of snakes? While many don't love these slithering friends, they are an integral part of the food web and aid their local ecosystems by keeping rodent and insect populations at sustainable levels! Comment below and let us know which snakes you love (or love to avoid)!

Do you have kids aged 9 to 13 years of age that want to learn more about nature? If so, why not enroll them in our inaugural Junior Master Naturalist course?! The program will consist of 5 sessions as follow:
- El Paso Museum of Archaeology: August 17th, 9am to 12pm
- TecH20: August 24th, 9am to 12pm
- Keystone Heritage Park: September 7th, 8am to 11am
- Franklin Mountain State Park: September 14th, 8am to 11am
- Service Project: September 21st, times will be determined as soon as we identify the
service project but will likely be 8am to 11am or 9am to 12pm.
- Participants who attend all classes will be presented with a course completion
certificate.

Child participants must be accompanied by a parent or responsible adult. Fee for the course is $15 per child and must be paid at the time the registration form is submitted. To obtain a registration form, message us on this page and we will follow up with you. Or you can call and speak with Eva Rivera at the El Paso County AgriLife Extension office at (915) 273-3502 extension 2323.

Space travel at the expense of sensitive wildlife ecosystems. 😞😞😢

Video: How SpaceX Is Harming Delicate Ecosystems On at least 19 occasions since 2019, SpaceX’s operations have caused fires, leaks and explosions near its launch site in Boca Chica, Texas. These incidents reflect a broader debate over how to balance technological and economic progress against protections of delicate ecosystems and local communit...

Sharing a wonderful virtual opportunity to learn about raptors. There is a fee for this seminar, but the training offered makes it worthwhile. The $35 all-access pass allows the registrant to view the sessions at a later time. A wonderful option for those who are unable to attend the live event.

This information is from Texas A&M AgriLife Extension
Raptor Week Schedule
For more information and to register:
https://wildlife.tamu.edu/birding/virtual/

Fund Dino event at Centennial Museum.
(From Centennial Museum Facebook post)
"This summer is all about dinosaurs here at the Centennial Museum!
Stop by on Saturday July 13th from 11am-3pm to have some roaring fun where you can:
Touch a dinosaur bone
See a surprise dinosaur artifact
Participate in dinosaur crafts and activities
Ask a curator questions about our current exhibit “Centennial Dinosaurs”
See presentations by Insights and special guest Eric Kappus!
Learn about dinosaurs that roamed Texas and the southwest while having fun with friends, family, and all of us here at the Centennial Museum!
Light refreshments will be provided."

One week until our Dino Day!
This summer is all about dinosaurs here at the Centennial Museum!
Stop by on Saturday July 13th from 11am-3pm to have some roaring fun where you can:
Touch a dinosaur bone
See a surprise dinosaur artifact
Participate in dinosaur crafts and activities
Ask a curator questions about our current exhibit “Centennial Dinosaurs”
See presentations by Insights and special guest Eric Kappus!
Learn about dinosaurs that roamed Texas and the southwest while having fun with friends, family, and all of us here at the Centennial Museum!
Light refreshments will be provided.

https://www.utep.edu/centennial-museum/museum/events.html

5 Tips For Supporting Pollinators in Your Garden

Overlap blooms. Pollinators need flowers that bloom at different times of the year. An array of flower varieties that peak after others fade are ideal. By planting from spring into fall, you can extend pollinators’ resources.

Be colorful. Plant flowers in a variety of colors since different pollinators are attracted to different colors. Bumblebees are attracted to blues and purples, whereas other bees are more attracted to yellows or whites. She suggests adding some really bright colors like oranges and pinks to your garden to draw in butterflies. Red isn’t seen well by bees, so red flowers with a contrasting center are usually a better bet. If you plant colors, they will come.

Add shapes and sizes. Pollinators’ flower preferences come in all shapes and sizes, so variety is key. Since pollinators have preferences as to the manner in which they collect pollen or feed on nectar, some prefer deeper flowers and some prefer more open bowls. Be aware that some of the more modern hybrid flowers may lack the pollen, nectar and/or fragrance pollinators seek out. Beautiful flowers don't necessarily meet pollinators' needs.

Easy on the pesticide. Practice the IPM (Integrated Pest Management) principle. Use pesticides as a last resort when your plants indicate a need for it. Always read and follow the pesticide's label before using it! Apply pesticides in the evening when most pollinators have "gone to bed". The pesticide will hopefully have dried by morning when pollinators once again become active. Never spray the inside of a flower! Pollinators eat and sleep there.

Give them shelter. Bee and butterfly houses make great shelter. Many insect pollinators live underground, so make sure to leave bare patches in your gardens for them to dig into. Since mason bees need mud to line their home, keep some mud patches in your landscape.

Credit to source: Texas A&M Today: Top Five Tips For Supporting Pollinators This Summer by Susan Himes, Texas A&M AgriLife Marketing and Communications
JUNE 9, 2023

Which plant do monarch butterflies have a symbiotic relationship with?
1. Butterfly bushes
2. Milkweed
3. Tulips

Reference source: Bing.com quiz

True or False:

Flies are pollinators

Photo credit: Photo stock editor.com

Late post, but we couldn't miss the opening day of National Pollinator Week 2024, right?! This week, June 17 through June 23, is the week to celebrate all forms of pollinators. This graphic illustrates some of the many pollinators to whom we owe thanks. During their week of recognition, please consider learning more about them and their invaluable service to the world, and perhaps do your small part to help conserve them. Or just sit outside and watch them go throughout their daily, yet fascinating, lives. That's easy and fun enough, right?

Graphic credit: by What to know about nature

Let’s dispel a rumor: can lizards really “drop” their tails if they get startled or upset??

Many lizards can self-amputate or “drop” their tails, also known as tail autotomy. This is a natural self-defense mechanism that occurs when a lizard is grabbed or startled by a predator. To avoid being consumed, many lizards ditch their still-wiggling tails (the tail's nerves will still be active for some time, causing some contractions in the muscles of the shed tail). This behavior often confounds the predator, buying the lizard time to scurry away. While there are drawbacks to losing a tail (they come in handy for maneuvering, impressing mates and storing fat) it beats being eaten!

Lizards have the ability to spontaneously grow new cartilage in response to a skeletal injury and therefore regrow their tail.

Several members of our Chapter attended the Sun City's Desert Bighorn Sheep Homecoming workshop presented by Texas Parks and Wildlife Department / Franklin Mountains State Park yesterday. This was the first of several identical workshops being offered through August. The purpose of these workshops is to engage and educate the community about the program that will reintroduce the desert bighorn sheep to the area they formerly inhabited and were unfortunately extirpated from around the mid 1950s. Presenters covered topics such as the history of desert bighorn sheep in this mountain range; conservation status of the sheep; and challenges involved in restoring the sheep back to our mountain range, as well as the importance that our Franklin Mountains plays in the restoration of the sheep. If you get a chance to attend one of the additional meetings, it is highly recommended you do so. Our community has the rare opportunity of hosting these magnificent creatures in their former habitat. Not many other communities are lucky enough to claim that. As this project continues to evolve, please seize the opportunity to learn about this important conservation effort.

This group of beautiful ladies (2 of which are involved in our Chapter) received 1st place recognition in the Sunrise to Noon Tournament in Far West Texas. They spotted 64 desert dwelling owls during their observation period. Great job, Lois, Star and Abigail!

Photo Credit: Star Posada

Happy National Black Bear Day! In recognition of these teddy bears, we are sharing Big Bend National Park's post about these very cute furries. They also cover Bear Safety Tips.

Photo credit: Moments of Introspection