The following narrative gives but a glimpse of how knowing more about the insects of a particular area can translate into being a better Ethnobotanist and Naturalist.....
After all, how could a small (body ~ 1/2" long; antenna longer than body) insect kill so many branches of a tree noted for the tenacity of its wood? The answer lies in both the anatomy of the Beetle and in the timing of its assault upon the Mesquite branches. In regards to the former, the jaws of the beetle are particularly long and strong, as is the case with most Long-horned Beetle species that I've encountered. They're the type of beetle that give you pause when picking one up, lest those jaws test the integrityof you skin! In the case of the latter, the beetles time their attack so that they are able to girdle (i.e. make a completely encircling cut to) the youngest, most vulnerable branches that grew the previous Spring through current Fall. These youngsters apparently have fewer protections and simply are smaller and easier to girdle than the large ones.
Upon completing this task the death knoll of the particular Mesquite branch in question has been sealed, its life-giving supply of sap having been precipitously and forever cut off. The female Mesquite Girdler Beetle then proceeds to lay a series of eggs in the now sap-poor branch. Flowing sap in a live branch would have likely killed her eggs, hence the need for such a drastic evolutionary strategy to perpetuate the species. The young eventually hatch out of the dead branches to once again perpetuate the cycle of the Mesquite Girdler. This act completed, the adults die and leave the dead branches festooned upon the otherwise live Mesquite tree. Many of these branches easily fall off the tree within a year or two and create a bit of a natural minefield of potent thorns that the intrepid Ethnobotanist must navigate in order to procure the culinary reward afforded by the beetles. Mesquite spines quite easily penetrate all manner of footwear, however impregnable you may deem it!
What is this reward you now ask? Slowly, but surely the girdled wound of the Mesquite exudes a translucent, light amber-colored sap that is designed to seal it against infections and diseases. At first the exudate is merely a thin veneer or small droplet of sap. Eventually, however, some grow to the size of a large grape or so. As you wander through a Mesquite grove in September through December, be it gargantuan trees in a riverside forest or diminutive specimens dotting a grassland, you may begin to notice some of Nature's finest art - amber spheres of light reflecting and refracting the Sun's rays like so many gaudy ornaments. At this moment you have arrived at not only a visual treat, but one that may delight your taste buds as well!
To gather the sap balls, I merely pluck them from their branch stump, noting the level of stickiness that they possess. Early in the gathering season they will, quite naturally, be tackier. and even malleable in your hands. As the Autumn progresses, however, they drier out and take on a more solid form that is even more convenient to gather and store. Be aware, though, that unlike the sap of most conifer trees that I know (e.g. Pines, Cypresses, Junipers, Spruces, & Firs) Mesquite sap is water soluble. Meaning? Namely that they can just as quickly dissolve and disappear after a somewhat unexpected Autumn or early Winter rain storm, as they apparently materialized after the branches were girdled. One storm, then gone! This speaks to one of the Ethnobotanist's and wild forager's main creeds - collect it (when abundant enough) while its there, for tomorrow it may be gone! Still, I always strive to leave some sap behind, not knowing what other sap-eaters may be seeking this treat and wishing to share the feast.
What do I do with these sap nodules? I slowly suck upon them as I wander the incredible wilds of the Sky Islands. They have a rich, yet subtly sweet taste that, unlike candy, never quite gets old. I soon find myself depleting my stores of sap months before they'll be replenished next year. I do store enough to show my students, but am periodically tempted to raid even these meager supplies given my love of the edible oddity.
While I can't vouch for the caloric value of this translucent Mesquite sap, I suspect that it is minor. More important, I feel, is the soothing effect that the sap appears to have on my mouth, throat (a bit of an expectorant effect), and even my soul. I slowly suck upon the sap and I feel immersed in my immediate environment - Mesquite and Man becoming one. So it is with Ethnobotany adventures - they transport me to a world unto itself and one forgotten and neglected by many of my fellow humans.
A quick note on sap types on Mesquite. You may notice that there is a second, much darker (e.g. deep amber to dark orange-red) type of Mesquite sap. Having sampled this type - normally caused by major wounds, such as a human-cut branch - I can say that I have no desire to repeat the feat. As good as the Mesquite Girdler sap is, the darker type is equally as vile. It is the stuff traditionally used to mend broken pottery in the Southwest, not an edible plant part. If you've had a different experience with either type of sap, I would love to hear from you on this topic.
And what, you may ask, becomes of the Mesquite Trees that made this unique treat possible? They continue to grow, attempting to keep one step ahead of the Mesquite Girdler Beetles in their quest to grow bigger and stronger. Two steps forward and one step back for many trees, I suspect. I view this autumnal toll as just one more balance in the infinite checks and balances that define seemingly every nuance and expression of life.
My habit of late is to gather the girdled Mesquite branches and make a pile within which the local birds and other wildlife can take refuge from both inclement weather and predator alike. This MAY allow the then liberated Mesquite trees to be less pruned the following Fall when the young beetles hatch out from the dead branches, though this is perhaps wishful thinking at best. While we (my wife, Claudia, and I) may have somewhat smaller Mesquite trees due to the Beetles, we also have them to thank for this unusual treat!
NOTE: Future entries in blog will contain a wide range of Ethnobotany (= how people employ wild plants for a variety of uses) topics, including: Archery, Basketry, Arts & Crafts, Shelters, Tools, Wild Edible Plants, Wild Medicinal Plants, and much more!
Let me know what you think and....think of taking a class with us at:
RAVENS-WAY WILD JOURNEYS
www.ravensnatureschool.com
We can custom-make an Ethnobotany walk, lecture, or trip for you, your family, or your organization/group!
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