Quinta Mazatlan: Life After Dark

By John Brush, Urban Ecologist, Quinta Mazatlan Photography by Jaime Villarreal

It’s a typical summer day. High humidity quickly swelters the morning hours, and by midafternoon, it’s vital to be inside, or at least in the shade of a mesquite or Texas ebony tree. Everything feels sunbaked, even the blue sky pale and worn in the summer sun. Yet, despite the lull in activity, life still abounds. Some organisms, like birds, still make their way over shimmering streets. But many others wait for the cooler nighttime temperatures: cottontail rabbits splay out in the dirt; spiders hide under leaves; scorpions shelter under bark.

Especially in the summer, there is a noticeable difference in animal activity from the hot afternoons to after the sun sets in the evenings. Despite being more hidden from our diurnal eyes, our ecosystems are just as active (if not more so) at night than during summer days.

In fact, that’s the theme for 2024’s edition of Flashlight Nights at Quinta Mazatlan. During the after-dark guided tours, guests will be introduced to our nighttime ecosystem, including various examples of how and why nocturnal wildlife are adapted to the dark, all while exploring the nature center’s thorn forest trails and gardens.

Avoiding heat is a main factor in animal nocturnal behavior, but there are other reasons, too. For example, scientists have found that many animals that live in cities are becoming increasingly nocturnal to avoid humans. It’s also thought that nocturnality in early mammals originally came about to avoid conflicts with dinosaurs.

One recurring trait of nocturnal animals is the tapetum lucidum, found in the eyes of many nocturnal vertebrates. This reflects light back through the eyes to gather more light (ultimately helping them see better). Other nocturnal traits include the use of other senses, like sound and smell, to help animals find their way through the dark. A common example is echolocation in bats, which use high-pitched squeaks to locate their prey.

Not only is Flashlight Nights meant to be a cooler way for guests to enjoy the sights and sounds of Quinta Mazatlan, but it also highlights how important the “creepy-crawlies” of the night are for healthy ecosystems. Whether they are providing pollination services or free pest control, animals like insects, spiders, and snakes are vital to our local food webs. By respecting and conserving those organisms, people benefit, too.

Learn more about our nocturnal wildlife during Flashlight Nights, offered Tuesdays from June through August, at Quinta Mazatlan. The program runs from 8:30 to 10:00 PM. Space is limited, so advanced registration is required. Visit quintamazatlan. ticketleap.com to reserve your spots, and follow Quinta Mazatlan on social media for up-to-date information on all the nature center’s programming.