Materials and Methods-On 57 days from March 13-May 25, 2016, I climbed to Usery Peak (elevation = 901 m; coordinates = 33[degrees]30'07.8"N, 111[degrees]38'23.9"W) in the Tonto National Forest near Mesa, Arizona to census the tarantula hawks that were occupying and defending certain of the foothills' palo verdes (
Parkinsonia microphylla), creosote bushes (Larrea tridentata), wolfberries (Lycium species), and jojoba (Simmondsia chinensis).
Velvet mesquite, while an important component of antelope jackrabbit habitat, often was accompanied by other leguminous trees such as ironwood (Olneya tesota), blue paloverde (Parkinsonia florida), little-leaf paloverde (
Parkinsonia microphylla), and other trees characteristic of the Sonoran Desert or Sinaloan thornscrub.
Location of each hovering or perched male was recorded in relation to prominent foothill paloverdes (
Parkinsonia microphylla), jojobas (Simmondsia chinensis), and creosotebushes (Larrea tridentata) growing along the transect.
