| Observed variation in numbers of blunt-nosed leopard lizard neonates in 2014 following a multi-year drought suggested that winter precipitation plays a role in lizard reproduction and recruitment. One potential causal link between precipitation and lizard recruitment is grasshopper abundance, which is expected to be higher when productivity is high. We gathered preliminary data to assess the abundance of grasshoppers over the leopard lizard breeding season at multiple sites occupied by leopard lizards. We found significant temporal variation over the course of the seven month breeding period at all sites, and a shared pattern of early season high abundance, a mid-summer drop in abundance, and a rise in abundance in the fall. The pattern tracks the observed activity pattern of leopard lizards, where individuals are highly active in spring and early summer, absent in mid-to late summer, and active again in the fall. We interpret our findings as providing support for the hypothesis that grasshopper abundance partially mediates seasonal lizard activity. |