Poems and Thoughts    by Frank Maurer

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California's Newest State Symbol. Several years ago I proposed and had finally passed as a state symbol, Purple Needle Grass (Stipa pulchra), the now state perennial native grass Which was a food staple for native people And is now used in restoration to outcompete star thistle. Each plant can stay around quite a while-- 150 years! Recently California just designated the Pallid Bat as that group's representative. A most interesting creature consuming insects and scorpions in its diet. It also consumes cactus (plant) nectar--one of two bats in the world to do so. The Lesser Long-nosed Bat generally sips cactus nectar And pollinates with a delicate tongue. Researchers were surprised to observe the Pallid Bat, Pollinating by shoving its whole head into the flower! These bats use echolocation to hunt on the ground For beetles, crickets, as well as scorpions The venom of which they are totally immune! They also found that Pallid Bats transferred Thirteen times as much pollen as the Lesser Long-nosed Bat. So the more 'refined' and delicate consumption of the latter species Was 'way out done by the less mannered, new discovery--the Pallid Bat. Frank Maurer 7 July 2024 1915 Hours.