Caterpillars and Climate Change in Arizona 2021

Yesterday, we spent time in the field collecting specimens within a plot of Juniper Monosperma trees. Today we started our day in the classroom with a talk by Dr. Lee Dyer. The research we are helping with is being conducted in Arizona, Ecuador, Nevada, Florida, and Costa Rica and has been going on for decades. The project we are working on with Dr. Lee Dyer and PhD student Dani Salcedo studies natural enemies of caterpillars that are called "parasitoids." These include many species of wasps and flies that kill caterpillars by depositing their eggs IN or ON the caterpillar. This ensures that the parasitoids' offspring will have a safe place to grow (inside the caterpillar) and plenty of food to eat (caterpillar tissue). The research being conducted by Dr. Lee Dyer has spanned decades. It includes the rearing of over 300 species of caterpillars, caring for them, recording data and recording the mortality rate caused by parasitoids. By comparing results from the different r

       Today was the first "official" day of our expedition! The ride from Tucson to the Chiricahua Mountains was absolutely amazing. The landscape was incredibly diverse; from the flat desert scattered with cacti, to the pecan orchards that seemed to go on for miles, the steep, rocky outcrops, and the various mountain ranges following us to the endless horizon.  When we arrived at Cave Creek Ranch, we were greeted by many birds, two javalinas, and whitetail deer.  Before going out in the field, we had enough time to get a short hike in. Another Earth-Watcher and I trekked up the nearby cliffside. About halfway through our hike, we stopped in an area that was clear and open so that we could take in the landscape surrounding us. We gazed up at the overlooking rock slopes in awe of their size and magnitude. It was then that we happened upon the reasoning for the name Cave Creek Ranch. Running off the cliffside was a small waterfall, falling below into the steep valley below. Th