We had guests last week that saw a Gila Monster outside their guest house. It is that time of the year. Gila Monsters normally stay underground most of the year. They come out in late spring to search for a mate. A couple of years ago, while sitting in my office, I looked out the window and saw one crawling slowly across the driveway. I grabbed my camera and went out to get a photo. Although venomous, they don't inject their venom in their prey like rattlesnakes. They clamp down on their prey more like a crocodile, and then secret venom into their mouth which then gets into the prey. Gila Monsters are quite beautiful and easy to photograph if you are ever lucky enough to find one. Many people who have lived in Tucson for 30 years have never seen one. In the middle of the circular part of our driveway there is a large 100+ year old saguaro, a 100+ year old palo verde, and the stump of a mesquite tree that was cut down. I followed the Gila Monster to this area where he climbed up onto the mesquite stump and just sat there. So, I lay down in front of him and started snapping photos. Here's one of those photos.
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