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Tuesday, July 15, 2014

Tarantula

Looking northeast over the flank of Tortugas Mountain
We haven't seen a large tarantula for ages, so it was nice to spot one on our way back this morning.  Whenever I see one of these magnificent arachnids I think of two things:  the James Bond movie (Dr. No) where 007 wakes to find a Tarantula crawling up his torso; and the southern Italian folk dance, the Tarantella, said to have originated as therapy for the bite of the Tarantula.  In reality it is nearly impossible to get bitten by a tarantula. 
As we head south more of the mountain's flank becomes apparent

Probably an Ash-throated Flycatcher

Head west young pup

Looking for a place to go

Road through the high desert

Where the trail bends back to the east

Strawberry Pitaya still in bloom

This male Tarantula was about 5" from from front feet to rear

3 comments:

Scott said...

Nice set of images today, Packrat. I especially like the composition of "Road through the high desert."

I've only ever seen one "wild" tarantula (on the patio of a bed-and-breakfast in Sedona, Arizona). I think I've already told you that in the past, so please excuse me. (We also saw javelinas rooting through the garden when we were there, my only spotting of "wild" javelinas, too.)

Dr. K said...

Tarantulas are beautiful in a very creepy way.

packrat said...

Regarding javelinas I may have mentioned this before, too. But one time Dr. K and I sat on the porch of one of the stone cabins in the Chisos Mountains of Big Bend National Park watching wild peccaries munch on the thorn-laden pads of Prickly Pear Cacti. Just watching (and hearing) them eat those things--the crunching sound quite audible--made my hard palate hurt.

Hump Day Hawk

Tortugas and the Organs We got a fairly early start this morning so it wasn't hot at all:  62F.  The cloud cover helped the temperature ...