The desert has a lot of rules - take plenty of water, shield yourself from the sun, don't stray from trails. One warning is that everything in the desert is trying to kill you, but that applies more to the elements and the vegetation than it does to the wildlife. Bobcats and coyotes will run if you throw a rock at them. Just walk away from snakes, lizards, and tarantulas. The most dangerous form of life in the desert might be the cactus. Look, but don't touch.
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| Silver Cholla |
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| Pencil Cholla |
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| Beavertail Pricklypear |
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| Teddy Bear Cholla or Jumping Cholla |
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| This is an enormous field of Cholla (pronounced choy-yah) cactus. |
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| All cactus spines are hard to remove. The cholla is especially hazardous because it is a glochid - a type of prickle that comes off in large numbers, embeds deeply, and has a barbed end that makes it hard to extract. The most effective way to extract cholla spines that have penetrated the skin is first to tweeze every visible spine. Then apply duct tape, and rip it off quickly. Another option is to apply gauze soaked in Elmer's Glue. When this wrap dries (in about 30 minutes), rip it off. About 5% of the spines will still be left behind. These embedded spines will form pustules. The final step to cure the problem is to break the pustules and have the remaining spines extracted using a dissecting microscope. |
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| A Cholla in Flower |
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| Zooming In. |
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| Cholla can grow from seed, but the more successful way to propagate the plant is from the joints that fall off. |
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The most important rule of the desert:
Don't put your hands in any holes. |
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