Desert Criters in Idaho

Many people think of Idaho as a great place to ski. While it is famous for skiing - and potatoes - it has very distinct and different climates around the state including the southwest part of the state that includes us here in Kuna. We have snow in the winter, a true spring with rains and I hear a real summer with plenty of heat and sun. Almost a desert type climate for summer ... of which we've seen a couple of the desert critters, including the infamous Black Widow spider. This one was in our sprinkler system piping thingy. It was about the size of a dime...maybe a nickel. I think you can only see a little spot of red on it's belly, but you get the idea, right?

Black Widow Spider

Another one we found the same day was a gopher snake. Thank you Lord that is all that it was and that we have super smart neighbors, who with a simple description can explain all sorts of critters to us. She was in plain site in the wellhouse.

Gopher Snake in the well house

She later moved to try and hide from us, but I don't like not knowing where slittering things are so "hunted" her down to take another picture. Hopefully, she'll be out taking care of some of those gophers that are leaving huge holes in the pastures!

EEEEKKK!! Look at those eyes looking back at me!!