“Mexicans” Across the Border

Mexican Wedgetail (Acanthagrion quadratum) / © Bryan Pfeiffer

ON MY EARLY-WINTER JOURNEY through the American Southwest, from Tucson to Texas, dragonflies and damselflies have been scarce. In the mid-elevation Chihuahuan Desert of southwestern New Mexico, nights in the teens pretty much put an end to my insect season. But here in the warm, humid Rio Grande Valley of Texas, with Mexico in view across the river, I did manage to find a few damselflies and dragonflies still on the wing (among the many butterflies and birds).

Still flying on a pond today at Frontera Audubon in Weslaco, Texas, was a lone Mexican Wedgetail (Acanthagrion quadratum). That’s him above. This is basically a tropical damselfly known from only a few sites in the US. (And it’s a lifer for me.) The encounter got me thinking about animals I’ve seen on this trip whose name invokes Mexico. In addition to this dainty damsel, I’ll offer you two: Mexican Yellow (Eurema mexicana) from southeastern Arizona and Mexican Jay (Aphelocoma wollweberi) from the foothills of New Mexico’s Gila Mountains.

¡Para estos, estoy agradecido!

Time to head for home. Onward to Vermont, into winter!

Mexican Yellow (Eurema mexicana) / © Bryan Pfeiffer

Mexican Jay / © Bryan Pfeiffer