Desert Squirrel

By PolS

Rocky Mountain bristlecone pine cone

I've seen lots of the Great Basin bristlecone pine trees, that can live to more than 4000 years, but I hadn't knowingly seen the similar Rocky Mountain bristlecone, Pinus aristata, before today. We went to South Park, west of Denver, and to Hoosier Pass. There are relatively young trees growing at both places, but the environment is not as severe as it is where the older trees occur. This species is not as long lived as the Great Basin bristlecone, although trees are known that are more than 2000 years old.

The 'bristles' on these cones seem a little longer than those I've seen on cones from the Great Basin bristlecone, but otherwise they look very similar.

PS I didn't see the wasp when I was taking the photograph....

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