Ephedra species are in the group of seed producing plants called Gymnosperms that includes conifers, cycads, Ginkgo and …
Canyon Life
Flame Skimmer Dragonfly
The Flame Skimmer is a large robust bright orange dragonfly with extensive amber color in the wings. Dragonflies and …
Funnel-Web Spider
These spiders are are very shy and usually stay hidden until they sense a vibration in the web made by a prey item …
Gambel’s Quail
The eggs are laid over several days but the female does not begin sitting on the eggs until they all are laid, thus …
Gila Monster
The hide has a beaded appearance because it is made of tightly woven scales that each enclose a rounded particle of …
Gila Woodpecker
They excavate a cavity usually in the middle third of the saguaro. Gila Woodpeckers are medium size woodpeckers (9 …
Gilded Flicker
They are capable of extending their tongue fully five inches outside the bill to probe deeply into anthills. Gilded …
Gopher Snake
Gopher snakes are Arizona’s longest snakes. They have been reported up to 92 inches (7.66 feet) long but 4 feet is more …
Gray Fox
The Gray Fox is the only member of the dog family that climbs trees Gray foxes are smaller in size than coyotes, …
Gray Hawk
Both adults participate in the nest building with the male bringing in most of the dead sticks and the female shaping …
Great Horned Owl
They have excellent hearing and eyesight and swoop down from a high perch to capture their prey. Great Horned Owls are …
Great Purple Hairstreak
The message to people who want to get rid of all their desert mistletoe is “no mistletoe, no butterfly” and that would …
Greater Roadrunner
One of the best ways to locate a roadrunner is to listen for the unique sound they produce by clattering their mandibles …
Green Lynx Spider
Unlike many spiders, it does not spin a web to trap its food. This beautiful creature is in the Phylum: Arthropoda, …
Hairy Bowlesia
Hairy (or Hoary) Bowlesia (Bowlesia incana) is one of the first plants that we see coming up in the spring. This …
Harris’ Antelope Squirrel
The Harris' Antelope Squirrel usually excavates its underground burrow among rocks. It is an omnivore but especially …
Harris’s Hawk
Harris’s Hawks will hunt cooperatively, lead by an alpha female, to flush, intercept and corner prey. Harris’s Hawks …
Indian Mallow
Other common names for each of these include Shrubby Indian Mallow, Yellow Indian Mallow, Yellow Flower Indian …
Iron-Cross Blister Beetle
The red front looks ant-like and their rear looks beetle-like. Each spring in April, brightly colored Iron-Cross …
Javelina
While Javelinas look and behave much like pigs, they are not closely related. The Javelina is a hairy, pig-like …
Ladder-Backed Woodpecker
A woodpecker’s head endures deceleration at 1,000 times the force of gravity with each strike and can drum 8 - 12,000 …
Lesser Long-Nosed Bat
These bats are really fun to watch. They move very fast and are highly maneuverable Did you ever wonder why your …
Limberbush
Limberbush is sometimes called Sangre de Cristo or Sangre de Drago – Christ’s blood or dragon’s blood Limberbush …
Loggerhead Shrike
Loggerhead Shrikes make a habit of impaling dead quarry on thorns or barbed wire, the way a butcher hangs meat. The …
Madrean Alligator Lizard
The Madrean Alligator lizard is active during the day and evening. The Madrean Alligator Lizard is a large (to 5.5 …
Monarch Butterfly
A diet of milkweed makes this butterfly distasteful to predators and the orange coloration is a warning that says to …
Mountain Lion aka Puma, Cougar
Inside this plain brown wrapping is packaged what may be pound-for-pound the most lethal predator of the feline …
Mustards
There are at least 15 different species of Brassicaceae in Sabino Canyon. Taxonomically, plants in a family all have …
Mydas Fly
Mydas flies are wasp mimics and resemble a large Tarantula Hawk when in flight but are harmless to humans This …
Northern Cardinal
Arizona is one of only three western states that hosts this bird. Most people are familiar with the flashy northern …