JUNE 2017 • NEBRASKAland 61
L
arge numbers of insects can be found roaming the open sand,
including grasshoppers, beetles and large numbers of flies
and other tiny winged creatures. The abundance of potential prey
draws predators like toads and lizards, along with many species
of tiger beetles and other predatory insects such as wasps and
robber flies. Because there is little c over to hide behind, many
of these predators sit still for long periods of time and then use
quick bursts of speed to catch prey that stray too close.
As I was photographing a tiger beetle last summer, I crept too
close and the wary beetle opened its wings and took off. In an
instant, a large robber fly exploded from the ground nearby and
nabbed the beetle right out of the air. The two fell to the ground
together where the fly quickly killed and ate the beetle. In open
ground, bursts of speed help catch prey, but they also make you
visible to other predators.
Sandhills blowouts are usually found on upper slopes of steep
dunes where strong northwest winds can pick up and move exposed
grains of sand, especially during the winter and early spring. Most
commonly, blowouts originate in places where repeated heavy grazing
or vehicle travel has weakened or removed vegetation, leaving sand
unanchored and unbuffered against wind erosion. Once a blowout
gets started, actively blowing sand across the surface of the ground
can make it difficult for plants to establish there, helping to perpetuate
the blowout's existence.
Most ranchers try to prevent the formation of blowouts by using
conservative stocking rates and strategic grazing rotations. Many
also are careful about where they drive vehicles to avoid triggering
blowouts along well-used paths on steep slopes. Once blowouts form,
ranchers use various techniques to try to get them to heal up again.
Excluding livestock with temporary fences can help, and sometimes
hay or even old tires are spread on the ground in an attempt to cover
bare sand and slow erosion. ■
