I have kept busy finishing a few backyard projects and tending to my Gardens.
We finally caught one of the many Pocket Gophers which have been digging holes and leaving mounds of dirt all over my front yard. What a relief! I found a couple of holes at the far end of my backyard and we will be setting another trap.
I found an adult female Black Widow Spider by my front porch and squashed it with my shoe.
According to Wikipedia, female spiders are often 20 times the mass of the males of the same species and produce much more venom than the other sex. Only females are of medical concern, as the shorter, weaker jaws of the males cannot penetrate mammalian skin. The neurotoxin of these spiders is, by volume, considered among the most toxic produced in nature, and by volume is more toxic than most snake venom. It is 15 times more virulent than that of the prairie rattlesnake.
We spent an interesting afternoon at the Mojave Narrows Regional Park. It was our first time there and the kids enjoyed the peaceful sight as we walked around.
While walking around the fishing lake, we saw a fisherman directing a snake away from him. As I freaked out, he told us it was a Gopher Snake and explained that the reptile only goes after rodents, but will bite humans if threatened. I didn’t care about the non venomous bite lecture, I was out of there. He cautioned us to be watchful around the park as the reptiles are out and about around burrows and on trees in search of prey.
Wishing you a beautiful start to your weekend.
By JM Perez
