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Trees seem scarce in the Chihuahuan Desert. But soapberry trees manage to thrive throughout our region and can even be used to wash your hands. How do desert dwellers exploit this hardy tree?

Butterflies throng golden lantana, bees swarm fragrant agarita, and hummingbirds sip from red yucca. These couplings aren’t accidental.

They eat roadkill. They urinate on themselves. When frightened, they vomit. The turkey vultures have returned. Why does our harbinger of spring have so many unsavory habits?

In the seventeenth century, Spanish explorers complained that because of this plant they couldn’t travel at night. The nineteenth century Texas rangers, who wrote that in Texas everything stings, scratches or bites, certainly had this little plant in mind.

This episode of Nature Notes was previously aired on March 11, 2011, and was written by Gary Nored. One of the most interesting plants in the desert is…

You’ve seen their sprawling, barren mounds, like little moonscapes in your field or lawn. But what lies beneath harvester ants’ conspicuous mounds?

Butterflies are the essence of summer. Their bright colors add just the right touch to a flower garden. But have you ever wondered why your neighbor has more butterflies than you do? Try creating a butterfly garden!

Animals and insects aren’t being altruistic when they pollinate a plant. So how do plants attract and reward them for their services?

The 21 oak species in our region assume many forms and are survivors of the last Ice Age. Who are these tenacious trees? And what animals depend on them today?

Little piles of dark earthworm castings sprinkle the soil after a rain. During dry spells earthworms wait, deep in the soil, encased in a shell made of their mucous and the dirt. After a rain, they feast on decaying organic material during the time of moisture and void the processed material, castings, on the surface.