The Birds & the Bees, and the Beavertail Cactus

If necessity is the mother of invention, the land of little rain and even less shade must be a hotbed of innovation and adaptation for the plants and animals who live here. A complex chain of unique interactions link desert life together, and as often as not, this chain begins with the relationships between wildflowers and the pollinators (often, but not always, insects) that have co-evolved to survive and reproduce in our harsh desert conditions. You can use iNaturalist to learn more about these relationships and contribute to science with this guide.