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What North American Bees Are Associated With Milkweed (Asclepias) Flowers?, Joseph S. Wilson
What North American Bees Are Associated With Milkweed (Asclepias) Flowers?, Joseph S. Wilson
Western North American Naturalist
Recent interest in protecting pollinators has led many organizations to plant milkweed to support monarch butterflies. However, little is known about what bee species might also benefit from milkweed plantings. Here I compile a list of bee species that have been collected on milkweed flowers. I compiled these data by searching large online databases and regional collections and supplementing with field collections. At least 282 different bee species have been collected on milkweed. Milkweed flowers can provide an important nectar resource for foraging bees, particularly in arid regions and in dry times of the year.
El reciente interés de proteger …
Abundance And Activity Of Domestic And Wild Medium-Sized Mammals In A Protected Mangrove Remnant, Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, Beatriz F. García-Padilla, Sylvia S. Zalapa, Sergio Guerrero-Vázquez, Alejandro Pérez-Arteaga, Agustín Camacho-Rodríguez
Abundance And Activity Of Domestic And Wild Medium-Sized Mammals In A Protected Mangrove Remnant, Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, Beatriz F. García-Padilla, Sylvia S. Zalapa, Sergio Guerrero-Vázquez, Alejandro Pérez-Arteaga, Agustín Camacho-Rodríguez
Western North American Naturalist
Domestic dogs (Canis lupus familiaris) and cats (Felis catus) in natural reserves can affect wild mammal populations through predation, diseases, and disturbance, particularly when habitat patches are small. In Estero El Salado, a remnant mangrove in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, we used camera trapping to obtain independent observations (n = 1224) to determine abundance, spatial overlap, and activity of medium-sized mammals (domestic dog, domestic cat, northern raccoon [Procyon lotor], Virginia opossum [Didelphis virginiana], gray fox [Urocyon cinereoargenteus], ninebanded armadillo [Dasypus novemcinctus], and jaguarundi [Herpailurus yagouaroundi]). Our …
San Bernardino Flying Squirrel Use Of Residential Areas: A Citizen Science Approach, Kevin Clark, Scott Tremor, Brian Gibson, Kimberly Ferree, Clark Winchell
San Bernardino Flying Squirrel Use Of Residential Areas: A Citizen Science Approach, Kevin Clark, Scott Tremor, Brian Gibson, Kimberly Ferree, Clark Winchell
Western North American Naturalist
The San Bernardino flying squirrel (Glaucomys oregonensis californicus) is a California Species of Special Concern restricted to montane forests of southern California. We confirmed the distribution of this species in residential areas of the San Bernardino and San Jacinto Mountains with the assistance of citizen scientist volunteers. Project participants placed motion sensor camera traps near bird feeders on their property and uploaded their results to a project webpage and associated iNaturalist project. Flying squirrels were documented at all sites monitored in the San Bernardino Mountains but were not detected in the San Jacinto Mountains, consistent with survey results …
Predictability Of Invasive Argentine Ant Distribution Across Mediterranean Ecoregions Of Southern California, Jonathan Q. Richmond, Tritia Matsuda, Cheryl S. Brehme, Emily E. Perkins, Robert N. Fisher
Predictability Of Invasive Argentine Ant Distribution Across Mediterranean Ecoregions Of Southern California, Jonathan Q. Richmond, Tritia Matsuda, Cheryl S. Brehme, Emily E. Perkins, Robert N. Fisher
Western North American Naturalist
The invasiveness of nonnative taxa can vary across a landscape due to environmental gradients, suggesting that location-dependent management strategies may be more effective at reducing spread compared to a “one size fits all” approach across the entire introduced range. Using bait stations placed along linear transects within habitat preserves, we tested for effects of ecoregion, vegetation, soil moisture, habitat edge type (i.e., moisture source), and distance from edges on the presence of the invasive Argentine ant Linepithema humile in San Diego County, California, a region with high indigenous biodiversity and numerous rare and protected species. Our results showed an inverse …
Observations Of Atypical Habitat Use By Foothill Yellow-Legged Frogs (Rana Boylii) In The Coast Range Of California, Jeff A. Alvarez, Jeffery T. Wilcox
Observations Of Atypical Habitat Use By Foothill Yellow-Legged Frogs (Rana Boylii) In The Coast Range Of California, Jeff A. Alvarez, Jeffery T. Wilcox
Western North American Naturalist
Foothill Yellow-legged Frogs (Rana boylii) have experienced extreme range-wide declines in recent decades. This stream-dwelling species is thought to be in decline primarily due to the alteration of streams through anthropogenic water development, the effects of which may be exacerbated by climate change. Although R. boylii has long been considered an obligate inhabitant of perennial streams, recent observations indicate that this species exhibits greater behavioral plasticity in habitat use, particularly for reproduction. Herein, we report on several observations of R. boylii using atypical habitat for both refuge and reproduction. We found several R. boylii individuals reproducing within lentic …
Lesser Long-Nosed Bat (Leptonycteris Yerbabuenae) Range Expansion Into Northern Grant County, New Mexico, Keith Geluso, Kenneth N. Geluso
Lesser Long-Nosed Bat (Leptonycteris Yerbabuenae) Range Expansion Into Northern Grant County, New Mexico, Keith Geluso, Kenneth N. Geluso
Western North American Naturalist
The lesser long-nosed bat (Leptonycteris yerbabuenae) previously was known only from extreme southwestern New Mexico in southern Hidalgo County. Herein, we documented L. yerbabuenae from northern Grant County along the Gila River on the southern edge of the Mogollon Plateau, which represents a 110-km range expansion to the north. We captured mostly volant young-of-the-year (68.5%) and adult females (25.9%) as well as a few adult males (5.6%) in September 2019. With assistance from local residents, we have evidence that nectar-feeding bats have been using hummingbird feeders in the area at least since 2014 and are a relatively …
Great Blue Heron Forages For Fish By Bill-Vibrating, Blanton P. Combs
Great Blue Heron Forages For Fish By Bill-Vibrating, Blanton P. Combs
Western North American Naturalist
The more than 60 species in the family Ardeidae (herons, egrets, and bitterns) are known to be very creative at catching prey. Kushlan (1978) describes a total of 38 feeding behaviors for this family. Each species uses several feeding methods, but only 6 species, or about 10% of the family, are known to attract fish by vibrating their bills in water, a technique first described by Buckley and Buckley (1968). This makes bill-vibrating one of the least common feeding tactics in Ardeidae. On 10 May 2019, I observed and photographed an adult Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias) foraging …
Courtship Behavior Of The Meadow Jumping Mouse (Zapus Hudsonius), Ethan A. Brem, William J. Israelsen
Courtship Behavior Of The Meadow Jumping Mouse (Zapus Hudsonius), Ethan A. Brem, William J. Israelsen
Western North American Naturalist
We describe the first recorded observations of courtship behavior of the meadow jumping mouse (Zapus hudsonius) made in wild-caught and captive-reared animals. Male meadow jumping mice performed a series of courtship behaviors upon approach to the female, including rapid fanning of the muzzle with the forelimbs, self-grooming, muzzle fanning, retreat, and eventual mounting attempts. During courtship, female jumping mice may retreat, ignore the courting male, or bat at the male with forelimbs until the male retreats. Active rejection of the courting male by the female is suggestive of female mate choice in this species.
Describimos las primeras observaciones …
A Simple Method For Restraint Of Small Mammals For Sampling Blood Or Tissue In The Field, John L. Orrock
A Simple Method For Restraint Of Small Mammals For Sampling Blood Or Tissue In The Field, John L. Orrock
Western North American Naturalist
Because wild rodents often harbor zoonotic pathogens that can be transmitted via saliva, urine, or feces (e.g., hantaviruses), researchers can be at risk when collecting rodent blood or tissue samples that are required for innumerable assays (e.g., infection status, hormone assays, etc.). I describe how inexpensive, readily available 50-mL centrifuge tubes can be easily modified to create a handling tube for the safe restraint of small rodents while a blood and/or tissue sample is collected from the tail. This approach has been used to successfully sample thousands of deer mice (Peromyscus maniculatus), the primary host for Sin Nombre …
Effects Of Elk And Bison Herbivory On Narrowleaf Cottonwood, Linda C. Zeigenfuss, Kathryn A. Schoenecker
Effects Of Elk And Bison Herbivory On Narrowleaf Cottonwood, Linda C. Zeigenfuss, Kathryn A. Schoenecker
Western North American Naturalist
Ungulate browsing influences the structure and composition of woody plant communities, including species composition and biomass production as well as age distribution, recruitment, and mortality. We evaluated effects of elk and bison herbivory on narrowleaf cottonwood (Populus angustifolia) communities in a semiarid ecosystem in southern Colorado. Cottonwoods in this ecosystem have been aged at ≥300 years old and are among the oldest cottonwood trees in North America. We compared browsing intensity and structural and productivity responses of cottonwood to ungulate herbivory. We compared responses in sites with elk and bison, sites with elk but no bison, and sites …
Estimating Abundance Of Desert Mule Deer Using Fecal Dna–Based Capture-Recapture, Stephen S. Pfeiler, Mary M. Conner, Jane S. Mckeever, Rachel S. Crowhurst, Clinton W. Epps, Gerald P. Mulcahy, Erin P. Meredith, Thomas R. Stephenson
Estimating Abundance Of Desert Mule Deer Using Fecal Dna–Based Capture-Recapture, Stephen S. Pfeiler, Mary M. Conner, Jane S. Mckeever, Rachel S. Crowhurst, Clinton W. Epps, Gerald P. Mulcahy, Erin P. Meredith, Thomas R. Stephenson
Western North American Naturalist
Wildlife conservationists and managers often need to estimate abundance and demographic parameters to monitor the status of populations, and to ensure that these populations are meeting management goals. DNA capture-recapture surveys have become increasingly common in situations where physical surveys are consistently difficult or counts are small or variable. Desert mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus eremicus) inhabit rugged terrain, occur at low population densities, and demonstrate cryptic behaviors, making monitoring and assessing population status difficult. We assessed the effectiveness of a fecal DNA–based capture-recapture method for estimating abundance and survival of desert mule deer. We designed and implemented a …
Seasonal Activity And Diets Of Bats At Uranium Mines And Adjacent Areas Near The Grand Canyon, Ernest W. Valdez, Mollie K. Hanttula, Jo Ellen Hinck
Seasonal Activity And Diets Of Bats At Uranium Mines And Adjacent Areas Near The Grand Canyon, Ernest W. Valdez, Mollie K. Hanttula, Jo Ellen Hinck
Western North American Naturalist
Little information exists on the habitat use and feeding ecology of insectivorous bats in arid ecosystems, especially at and near uranium mines in northern Arizona, within the Grand Canyon watershed. In 2015–2016, we conducted mist-netting, nightly acoustic monitoring (>1 year), and diet analyses of bats, as well as insect sampling, at 2 uranium mines (Pinenut and Arizona 1) with water containment ponds. Because of physical barriers and limited general access to areas within the mine yard, mist-netting was limited to outside of the perimeter fence and away from the containment ponds. Mist-netting also occurred at 2 nearby sites that …
Cold Tolerance Of Mountain Stoneflies (Plecoptera: Nemouridae) From The High Rocky Mountains, Scott Hotaling, Alisha A. Shah, Michael E. Dillon, J. Joseph Giersch, Lusha M. Tronstad, Debra S. Finn, H. Arthur Woods, Joanna L. Kelley
Cold Tolerance Of Mountain Stoneflies (Plecoptera: Nemouridae) From The High Rocky Mountains, Scott Hotaling, Alisha A. Shah, Michael E. Dillon, J. Joseph Giersch, Lusha M. Tronstad, Debra S. Finn, H. Arthur Woods, Joanna L. Kelley
Western North American Naturalist
How aquatic insects cope with cold temperatures is poorly understood. This is particularly true for high-elevation species, which often experience a seasonal risk of freezing. In the Rocky Mountains, nemourid stoneflies (Plecoptera: Nemouridae) are a major component of mountain stream biodiversity and are typically found in streams fed by glaciers and snowfields, which are rapidly receding due to climate change. Predicting the effects of climate change on mountain stoneflies is difficult because their thermal physiology is largely unknown. We investigated cold tolerance of several alpine stoneflies (Lednia tumana, Lednia tetonica, and Zapada spp.) from the Rocky Mountains, …
Using Trail Cameras To Document Meso And Large Mammal Use Of Native And Nonnative Riparian Forest Types In Southeastern Arizona, Cheyenne J. Herzog, Heather L. Bateman
Using Trail Cameras To Document Meso And Large Mammal Use Of Native And Nonnative Riparian Forest Types In Southeastern Arizona, Cheyenne J. Herzog, Heather L. Bateman
Western North American Naturalist
Riparian areas are an important resource for many wildlife species, especially in the arid Southwest. Understanding species occurrence in areas dominated by nonnative vegetation is important to determine whether management should be implemented. Saltcedar (Tamarix spp.) is one of the most prevalent and invasive nonnative woody species in riparian areas in the southwestern United States, and it can alter vegetation structure. Little is known about how meso (medium) and large carnivores and herbivores use or avoid stands of saltcedar. We investigated mammal activity in 3 riparian forest types along the San Pedro River in southeastern Arizona: nonnative saltcedar, native …
A Review Of Home Range Sizes Of Four Raptor Species Of Regional Conservation Concern, Megan Kocina, Kevin Aagaard
A Review Of Home Range Sizes Of Four Raptor Species Of Regional Conservation Concern, Megan Kocina, Kevin Aagaard
Western North American Naturalist
Knowledge of the home range size (HRS) of species is critical for their effective management and conservation. We systematically searched the open literature for information on HRS for Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus), Golden Eagle (Aquila chrysaetos), Prairie Falcon (Falco mexicanus), and Ferruginous Hawk (Buteo regalis). We found 24 articles with HRS estimates and accompanying methodology and demographic information on sampled individuals. Most studies focused on Bald Eagles, followed by Golden Eagles, Prairie Falcons, and Ferruginous Hawks. HRS estimates for the Golden Eagle were the largest and had the greatest associated variance (m …
First Record And Diet Of The Tri-Colored Bat (Perimyotis Subflavus) From Guadalupe Mountains National Park And Culberson County, Texas, Mollie K. Hanttula, Ernest W. Valdez
First Record And Diet Of The Tri-Colored Bat (Perimyotis Subflavus) From Guadalupe Mountains National Park And Culberson County, Texas, Mollie K. Hanttula, Ernest W. Valdez
Western North American Naturalist
The tri-colored bat (Perimyotis subflavus) occurs throughout the eastern United States, from Canada to south Florida and westward to eastern New Mexico, central Colorado, and western Texas. In this study, we document the first record of P. subflavus for both Guadalupe Mountains National Park and Culberson County, Texas. Our record extends the range of P. subflavus into the Trans-Pecos region of Texas. We also examined the diet of this individual and observed that it consisted of Lepidoptera, Coleoptera, and Hemiptera. Our observations of the diet of P. subflavus correspond with results of previous studies from more eastern …
Bats (Chiroptera) Of Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, Utah And Arizona, Grace M. Carpenter, Lonnie H. Pilkington, Alexis R. Levorse, John R. Spence
Bats (Chiroptera) Of Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, Utah And Arizona, Grace M. Carpenter, Lonnie H. Pilkington, Alexis R. Levorse, John R. Spence
Western North American Naturalist
Glen Canyon National Recreation Area covers large and geographically unique regions of southern Utah and northern Arizona. However, multiple surveys of bats from 1952 to 2017 have not been published. Prior to 2015, most bat surveys in the recreation area were conducted using mist nets only and did not include acoustic monitoring. In this paper we compile records of bats found in Glen Canyon National Recreation Area from 1952 to 2017, including records from our recent surveys using both mist nets and acoustic sampling. During our recent surveys, 2 new species were captured (Nyctinomops macrotis and Lasionycteris noctivagans), …
Nearshore Species Biodiversity Of A Marine Protected Area Off Santa Catalina Island, California, Audrey Looby, David W. Ginsburg
Nearshore Species Biodiversity Of A Marine Protected Area Off Santa Catalina Island, California, Audrey Looby, David W. Ginsburg
Western North American Naturalist
Santa Catalina Island, located ~35 km off the Southern California coast, is home to the Blue Cavern Onshore State Marine Conservation Area (SMCA). Although the conservation area is recognized as both an area of special biological significance and a marine life refuge, species richness of the nearshore taxa from this location is not known. In this study, we provide a comprehensive inventory of the intertidal and subtidal marine macroalgae, plants, invertebrates, and fishes documented from 5 different reef sites inside Blue Cavern Onshore SMCA. Species richness data were compiled using scuba-based visual surveys conducted in the field, references from the …
Asymmetrical Host Switching By Two Groups Of Obligate Ectosymbionts Of Crayfishes, Bronwyn W. Williams, Patricia G. Weaver
Asymmetrical Host Switching By Two Groups Of Obligate Ectosymbionts Of Crayfishes, Bronwyn W. Williams, Patricia G. Weaver
Western North American Naturalist
The Snake River Pilose Crayfish, Pacifastacus connectens (Faxon 1914), previously known only from the middle Snake River drainage in south-central Idaho west to the Harney Basin in southeastern Oregon, was discovered in the lower Deschutes River in north-central Oregon co-occurring with Signal Crayfish, Pacifastacus leniusculus (Dana 1852). Two groups of obligate ectosymbionts (i.e., entocytherid ostracods and branchiobdellidans) associated with these 2 Pacifastacus species displayed asymmetrical patterns of host switching, with host exchange primarily occurring from P. leniusculus onto P. connectens. Our results have implications for understanding patterns of host specificity over short ecological timescales but also raise questions …
Rocky Mountain Bristlecone Pine (Pinus Aristata) Is A Confirmed Host To Mountain Pine Beetle (Dendroctonus Ponderosae), Barbara J. Bentz, E. Matthew Hansen, James C. Vandygriff, S. Sky Stephens, David Soderberg
Rocky Mountain Bristlecone Pine (Pinus Aristata) Is A Confirmed Host To Mountain Pine Beetle (Dendroctonus Ponderosae), Barbara J. Bentz, E. Matthew Hansen, James C. Vandygriff, S. Sky Stephens, David Soderberg
Western North American Naturalist
Mountain pine beetle (MPB) (Dendroctonus ponderosae Hopkins) is a native bark beetle that reproduces in pine (Pinus) species across western North America. High population levels can result in widespread host tree mortality. Over the past 2 decades, MPB has been responsible for pine mortality across millions of forested hectares in the western United States. Although a majority of the pine species found in the western United States are considered hosts to MPB, the host status of Rocky Mountain (RM) bristlecone pine (Pinus aristata) is unclear. We surveyed stands across the range of RM bristlecone pine …
Historic Methods Of Trapping Plains Spotted Skunks: Implications For Modern Survey Methodology, D. Blake Sasse
Historic Methods Of Trapping Plains Spotted Skunks: Implications For Modern Survey Methodology, D. Blake Sasse
Western North American Naturalist
Plains spotted skunks (Spilogale putorius interrupta) were once common over a wide range, but at present they are much less abundant and infrequently captured. Therefore, it can be difficult to assess the efficacies of capture techniques in the field. I gathered data on the baits, lures, and types of trapping locations recommended in trapping manuals and in articles from trapping magazines published in the early 1900s. A total of 43 trap site recommendations, 42 bait recommendations, and 9 lure recommendations were gleaned from 36 historic articles or books. Seven of 43 trap sites (16.3%) were described simply as …