{"bugs/bugs":[{"id":"european-honey-bee","name":"European Honey Bee","scientific":"Apis mellifera","wiki":"Western_honey_bee","group":"bee","origin":"non-native","danger":"mild","dangerNote":"Stings when defending the hive; a worker dies after stinging. Africanized honey bees, established in Texas since 1990, defend their nests far more fiercely and can chase people about 1,300 feet. Stay away from any swarm or wild hive, and call a beekeeper or live bee-removal service to relocate it. Dangerous to anyone allergic.","idTips":"A fuzzy amber-and-brown bee about half an inch long, with a banded abdomen and pollen baskets on the hind legs. Lives in large perennial colonies in hives and tree cavities. Not native, but the main managed pollinator.","habitat":"Everywhere flowers bloom; gardens, fields, and roadsides across {place}; nests in hives and hollow trees.","diet":"Nectar and pollen from a huge range of flowers, including Common Sunflower, clovers, and Lantana.","hosts":[],"facts":["It is not native to North America. It was brought by European settlers.","A worker can only sting once because its barbed stinger tears free and kills it.","A colony communicates the direction and distance of flowers with a 'waggle dance.'","It pollinates many crops but can compete with native bees for flowers."],"refs":[{"label":"Wikipedia: Africanized bee","url":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Africanized_bee"}]},{"id":"american-bumble-bee","name":"American Bumble Bee","scientific":"Bombus pensylvanicus","wiki":"Bombus_pensylvanicus","group":"bee","origin":"native","danger":"mild","dangerNote":"Gentle; stings only if grabbed or the nest is disturbed, and can sting more than once.","idTips":"Large, fuzzy black-and-yellow bumble bee. The thorax is yellow in front with a black band between the wings, and the abdomen has two or three yellow bands before a black tip. The Common Eastern Bumble Bee, rare here, has just one yellow band on the abdomen.","habitat":"Prairies, pastures, roadsides and gardens; nests on the ground in thick grass or old rodent burrows.","diet":"Nectar and pollen; a key pollinator of tomatoes, peppers and native wildflowers like Purple Coneflower, Bee Balm and Wild Indigo.","hosts":[],"facts":["It 'buzz-pollinates,' vibrating flowers to shake loose pollen. Essential for tomatoes and peppers.","It is the most common bumble bee on the Texas coast, where many northern bumble bees can't take the heat.","Its numbers have fallen sharply across North America, and it is listed as Vulnerable by the IUCN.","Its colonies last a single season; only new queens survive the winter, alone, to start the next one."],"factRefs":{"2":[{"label":"Wikipedia: Bombus pensylvanicus","url":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bombus_pensylvanicus"}]},"atRisk":{"status":"IUCN Vulnerable; a federal listing decision is due by June 2027","threats":"Once one of the most common bumble bees in North America, it has dropped by about 89% in relative abundance and vanished from at least eight states, with the steepest losses in the north. Wildflower-rich prairie, meadows and field edges have been turned into monoculture cropland, lawns and pavement, taking away its flowers and nest sites. Insecticides such as neonicotinoids, diseases spread from commercially raised bumble bees, low genetic diversity and climate change add to the losses.","quiz":[{"q":"What is a main cause of the American Bumble Bee's decline?","a":"Prairies and wildflower meadows turned into monoculture farms, lawns and pavement","wrong":["Hummingbirds out-competing it for nectar","Native milkweeds that trap and kill its workers","Too many wildflowers blooming in the fall"],"why":"It nests in thick grass and needs flowers from spring to fall. Huge fields of a single crop, kept free of 'weeds', offer neither, so prairie and meadow loss is one of its biggest threats."},{"q":"Which farm and garden chemicals are linked to the American Bumble Bee's decline?","a":"Insecticides such as neonicotinoids","wrong":["Compost and mulch","Lime used to sweeten soil","Fertilizers made from fish"],"why":"Neonicotinoids and other insecticides can harm bumble bees' foraging, learning and colony growth, even at doses that don't kill them outright."},{"q":"How have commercially raised bumble bees harmed wild American Bumble Bees?","a":"Greenhouse colonies spread diseases and parasites to wild bees","wrong":["They stole all the queens from wild nests","They interbred with them until none were left","They ate the wild bees' honey stores"],"why":"Bumble bees reared for greenhouse pollination can carry pathogens like the parasite Nosema bombi, which is found more often in declining bumble bee species."}]},"refs":[{"label":"U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service: American bumble bee","url":"https://www.fws.gov/species/american-bumble-bee-bombus-pensylvanicus"},{"label":"Xerces Society: American Bumble Bee","url":"https://xerces.org/endangered-species/species-profiles/at-risk-bumble-bees/american-bumble-bee"},{"label":"IUCN Red List: Bombus pensylvanicus","url":"https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/21215172/21215281"}],"range":"ALL -24b -23a"},{"id":"carpenter-bee","name":"Eastern Carpenter Bee","scientific":"Xylocopa virginica","wiki":"Xylocopa_virginica","group":"bee","origin":"native","danger":"mild","dangerNote":"Males hover and bluff but cannot sting; females can sting but almost never do.","idTips":"A large bee resembling a bumble bee but with a shiny, hairless black abdomen (bumble bees are fuzzy all over). Males have a yellow face patch and hover aggressively near eaves. Bores round nest holes in bare wood.","habitat":"Around wooden decks, fences, eaves and dead trees where females excavate nest tunnels.","diet":"Nectar and pollen; sometimes 'robs' nectar by slitting the base of long tubular flowers.","hosts":[],"facts":["Its shiny, bald black abdomen separates it from the fuzzy bumble bee.","The hovering, dive-bombing bees at your eaves are stingless males.","Females drill nearly perfect round holes into bare wood to nest.","It is an important native pollinator despite its reputation as a wood pest."],"range":"ALL -24f -24b -23a"},{"id":"paper-wasp","name":"Red Paper Wasp","scientific":"Polistes carolina","wiki":"Polistes_carolina","group":"wasp","origin":"native","danger":"mild","dangerNote":"Stings to defend the nest and can sting repeatedly; otherwise not aggressive away from the nest.","idTips":"A slender reddish-brown wasp with long trailing legs and smoky wings. Builds an open, upside-down umbrella nest of gray paper cells under eaves, grills and branches. Hovers and flies with legs dangling.","habitat":"Eaves, porch ceilings, shrubs and nest boxes; forages widely in gardens.","diet":"Adults sip nectar; they hunt caterpillars and other soft insects to feed their larvae. Useful natural pest control.","hosts":[],"facts":["Its open, umbrella-shaped paper nest hangs from a single stalk, unlike the enclosed ball of a hornet.","It is a major predator of pest caterpillars, hunting them to feed its young.","Only females sting, and mostly when the nest is disturbed.","Colonies are founded each spring by overwintered queens."],"range":"ALL -25i -24f -24b -26c -23a"},{"id":"eastern-cicada-killer","name":"Eastern Cicada Killer","scientific":"Sphecius speciosus","wiki":"Sphecius_speciosus","group":"wasp","origin":"native","danger":"mild","dangerNote":"Huge but very docile; males can't sting, females sting only if grabbed. Not a threat despite the size.","idTips":"A very large (up to 2 in) wasp with a rusty head and thorax and a black abdomen marked with pale yellow bands. Flies low over bare, sunny soil in mid-summer. Males patrol territories; females dig burrows.","habitat":"Bare, sunny, sandy soil; lawns, slopes and garden edges where females dig nest burrows.","diet":"Adults drink flower nectar and sap; females paralyze annual cicadas to stock their burrows for larvae.","hosts":[],"facts":["Despite its intimidating size it is one of the gentlest wasps around people.","A female hunts and paralyzes cicadas, dragging them into underground burrows as larval food.","Appearances in July–August coincide with peak annual cicada song.","The ground-patrolling, bluffing individuals are harmless, stingless males."],"dietQuiz":{"prompt":"What do ADULT Eastern Cicada Killers eat?","answer":"Flower nectar and tree sap"},"range":"ALL -24f -24b -23a"},{"id":"black-and-yellow-garden-spider","name":"Black-and-Yellow Garden Spider","scientific":"Argiope aurantia","wiki":"Argiope_aurantia","group":"spider","origin":"native","danger":"harmless","dangerNote":"HARMLESS. A bite is no worse than a bee sting and happens only if squeezed.","idTips":"A large orb-weaver with a striking black-and-yellow patterned abdomen and long legs, sitting head-down in the center of a big circular web. The web often has a bold zigzag silk band (stabilimentum) down the middle.","habitat":"Gardens, tall grass and sunny shrubs where it strings large orb webs between stems.","diet":"Flying insects; grasshoppers, flies, bees and moths caught in the web.","hosts":[],"facts":["The bold zigzag of white silk in its web is called a stabilimentum.","It is a beneficial garden predator that eats many pest insects.","It rebuilds much of its web each night, eating the old silk.","It is harmless; its reputation comes purely from its large size and bold colors."],"range":"ALL -24f -23a"},{"id":"southern-black-widow","name":"Southern Black Widow","scientific":"Latrodectus mactans","wiki":"Latrodectus_mactans","group":"spider","origin":"native","danger":"venomous","dangerNote":"VENOMOUS. A glossy black spider with a red hourglass on the underside of the abdomen. Bites are serious but rarely fatal; seek care. Shy and web-bound, it bites only when pressed against skin.","idTips":"A shiny, round-bodied black spider with a red HOURGLASS marking on the underside of the abdomen (males and juveniles are smaller with lighter markings). Builds a messy, strong, tangled web low in sheltered spots. Hangs upside down in the web.","habitat":"Dark, undisturbed places: woodpiles, sheds, meter boxes, under eaves, in flower pots and outdoor furniture.","diet":"Insects caught in its tangle web.","hosts":[],"facts":["The red hourglass is on the UNDERSIDE of the abdomen, so you see it when the spider hangs upside down.","It is shy and non-aggressive, biting only when trapped against skin. Common when reaching into stored items.","Its venom is a neurotoxin; bites cause severe cramping but are rarely fatal with modern care.","Wear gloves when moving woodpiles, pots and stored items where it hides."],"range":"ALL -24f -23a"},{"id":"brown-recluse","name":"Brown Recluse","scientific":"Loxosceles reclusa","wiki":"Brown_recluse_spider","group":"spider","origin":"native","danger":"venomous","dangerNote":"VENOMOUS. A tan spider with a dark violin shape on its back and only SIX eyes in three pairs. Bites can cause slow-healing wounds; seek care. Very reclusive. Bites are uncommon.","idTips":"A small, uniformly tan-to-brown spider with long legs, a dark violin-shaped mark on the top of the front body (neck of the 'violin' pointing back), and, uniquely, six eyes arranged in three pairs. No stripes or spots on the legs or abdomen.","habitat":"Dark, dry, undisturbed indoor spaces: closets, boxes, attics, behind furniture, and in stored clothing and shoes.","diet":"Small insects; hunts at night rather than catching prey in a web.","hosts":[],"facts":["Its six eyes in three pairs are the most reliable field mark. Most spiders have eight.","The 'violin' mark is helpful but many harmless spiders have similar smudges.","It is extremely reclusive; most reported 'recluse bites' turn out to be other conditions.","Shake out stored shoes and clothing in low-use areas to avoid accidental bites."],"range":"ALL -24f -24b -23a"},{"id":"green-lynx-spider","name":"Green Lynx Spider","scientific":"Peucetia viridans","wiki":"Peucetia_viridans","group":"spider","origin":"native","danger":"harmless","dangerNote":"HARMLESS to people, though it may spit venom at threats to its egg sac.","idTips":"A bright green spider with long, spiny, translucent legs and red spots, that hunts on flowers and foliage rather than building a web. Ambushes prey among blossoms; females fiercely guard a spiky tan egg sac.","habitat":"On flowers and shrubs in gardens and prairies, especially on composite and legume blooms.","diet":"Bees, flies, moths and caterpillars ambushed on flowers. It eats pests but also some pollinators.","hosts":[],"facts":["It is the largest North American lynx spider and a pure green ambush hunter.","It does not build a web; it stalks and pounces on flower visitors.","A guarding female can squirt venom up to a foot to protect her egg sac.","It eats crop pests like bollworms, making it valuable in gardens despite catching some bees."],"factRefs":{"2":[{"label":"Wikipedia: Peucetia viridans","url":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peucetia_viridans"}]},"range":"ALL -25i -24f -26c -23a"},{"id":"seven-spotted-ladybug","name":"Ladybug (Lady Beetle)","scientific":"Coccinellidae","wiki":"Coccinellidae","group":"beetle","origin":"native","danger":"harmless","idTips":"A small, dome-shaped beetle, usually red or orange with black spots (patterns vary by species). The introduced Asian lady beetle has an 'M' or 'W' mark behind the head and invades homes in fall; native species generally do not.","habitat":"Gardens, fields and anywhere aphids gather; overwinters in sheltered spots and leaf litter.","diet":"Aphids, scale insects and mites. Both adults and larvae are voracious pest predators.","hosts":[],"facts":["A single ladybug can eat thousands of aphids in its life, making it a top garden ally.","Its spiky, alligator-shaped larva eats even more aphids than the adult but is often mistaken for a pest.","The invasive Asian lady beetle (with an 'M' behind the head) is the one that swarms into houses in fall.","It bleeds bad-tasting yellow fluid from its leg joints to deter predators (reflex bleeding)."]},{"id":"eastern-hercules-beetle","name":"Eastern Hercules Beetle","scientific":"Dynastes tityus","wiki":"Dynastes_tityus","group":"beetle","origin":"native","danger":"harmless","idTips":"A huge (up to 2.5 in) rhinoceros beetle; males have long curved horns on the head and thorax. The hard wing covers are greenish-gray to tan with black blotches. Harmless, slow and clumsy; comes to lights at night.","habitat":"Hardwood forests and wooded neighborhoods; larvae develop in rotting logs and stumps.","diet":"Adults sip tree sap and ripe fruit; larvae eat decaying wood, recycling nutrients.","hosts":[],"facts":["It is one of the heaviest and largest beetles in North America.","Males use their horns to wrestle rivals off sap flows and mates.","Its grubs spend a year or more breaking down rotting logs.","Despite the fearsome horns it cannot bite or sting and is completely harmless."],"range":"ALL -34b -31c -25i -24f -24b -26c -23a"},{"id":"firefly","name":"Firefly (Lightning Bug)","scientific":"Lampyridae","wiki":"Firefly","group":"beetle","origin":"native","danger":"harmless","idTips":"A soft-bodied beetle with a dark body, a shield over the head marked with red/orange and black, and a pale glowing segment at the tip of the abdomen. Flashes a species-specific pattern of cool yellow-green light at dusk in summer.","habitat":"Moist meadows, woodland edges, {bayou} margins and unmowed, unsprayed yards.","diet":"Larvae are predators of snails, slugs and worms; many adults eat little or nothing.","hosts":[],"facts":["Its 'cold light' comes from a chemical reaction and gives off almost no heat.","Each species flashes its own code to find mates; some females mimic others to lure and eat males.","Its glowing, armored larvae ('glowworms') hunt snails and slugs in damp soil.","Lawn pesticides and light pollution are major causes of firefly decline."],"factRefs":{"0":[{"label":"Wikipedia: Firefly","url":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Firefly"}]},"range":"ALL -24f"},{"id":"wheel-bug","name":"Wheel Bug","scientific":"Arilus cristatus","wiki":"Arilus_cristatus","group":"true-bug","origin":"native","danger":"mild","dangerNote":"Beneficial predator, but its bite is painful. Handle with care or not at all.","idTips":"A large gray assassin bug with a spiky, cog-like 'wheel' crest standing up on its back. Unmistakable. Long legs, a narrow head, and a stout curved beak it uses to stab prey. Slow-moving on shrubs and tree trunks.","habitat":"Trees, shrubs and gardens where soft-bodied insects are plentiful.","diet":"A fierce predator of caterpillars, beetles, stink bugs and other insects, including pests.","hosts":[],"facts":["The cog-like crest on its back makes it unmistakable.","It is one of the largest assassin bugs and a major predator of garden pests.","Its bite is reportedly more painful than a bee sting, so admire it without touching.","It stabs prey with its beak and injects enzymes that dissolve the insides."],"range":"ALL -24f -24b -23a"},{"id":"common-green-darner","name":"Common Green Darner","scientific":"Anax junius","wiki":"Anax_junius","group":"dragonfly","origin":"native","danger":"harmless","idTips":"A big dragonfly with a bright green thorax and a blue (male) or purplish (female) abdomen, and a bull's-eye spot on the face. One of the first dragonflies out in spring and a long-distance migrant. Clear wings.","habitat":"Ponds, marshes and slow {bayou}s; hunts on the wing over open fields and water.","diet":"Mosquitoes, flies, midges and other flying insects, caught in mid-air. A major mosquito controller.","hosts":[],"facts":["It is one of the few migratory dragonflies, traveling hundreds of miles in generational relays.","Both the aquatic nymph and the adult are voracious predators of mosquitoes.","It can hover and fly backward, and is among the fastest flying insects.","Its green thorax and face bull's-eye make it easy to recognize."],"range":"ALL -23a"},{"id":"golden-silk-orbweaver","name":"Golden Silk Orb-weaver (Banana Spider)","scientific":"Trichonephila clavipes","wiki":"Trichonephila_clavipes","group":"spider","origin":"native","danger":"mild","dangerNote":"Mild: rarely bites; the bite is like a bee sting and not dangerous.","idTips":"A large spider with a long, cylindrical yellow-tan abdomen with white spots and black legs with feathery tufts on the joints. Builds huge golden-tinted webs.","habitat":"Woods, trails and shady yards; webs strung across paths in late summer.","diet":"Flying insects caught in its strong web.","facts":["Its silk really does look golden in sunlight.","Its webs can be several feet across, often spanning trails.","The tiny males live on the female’s web.","It rarely bites, and its bite is mild."],"range":"EAST STX RGV -31c"},{"id":"spinybacked-orbweaver","name":"Spinybacked Orb-weaver","scientific":"Gasteracantha cancriformis","wiki":"Gasteracantha_cancriformis","group":"spider","origin":"native","danger":"harmless","idTips":"A small, crab-like spider with a hard, wide white (sometimes yellow) abdomen with black spots and six red or black spikes around the edge.","habitat":"Shrubs, gardens and woodland edges; small webs with tufts of silk on the threads.","diet":"Small flying insects like flies and gnats.","facts":["Its spiky shell looks like a tiny crab or star.","It decorates its web lines with little tufts of silk.","It is harmless to people.","Its bright colors may warn predators that it is hard to eat."],"range":"EAST STX RGV"},{"id":"eastern-pondhawk","name":"Eastern Pondhawk","scientific":"Erythemis simplicicollis","wiki":"Eastern_pondhawk","group":"dragonfly","origin":"native","danger":"harmless","idTips":"A medium dragonfly. Females and young males are bright grass-green with a banded abdomen; mature males turn powdery blue with a green face.","habitat":"Ponds, ditches and wet lawns; often perches low on the ground or leaves.","diet":"Other insects, including other dragonflies, caught in flight.","facts":["Females are one of the few bright green dragonflies.","Males change from green to powdery blue as they age.","It is a fierce hunter that even eats other dragonflies.","It often perches flat on the ground rather than on stems."],"range":"ALL -24f -23a"},{"id":"blue-dasher","name":"Blue Dasher","scientific":"Pachydiplax longipennis","wiki":"Blue_dasher","group":"dragonfly","origin":"native","danger":"harmless","idTips":"A small dragonfly. Males have a powdery blue abdomen with a black tip, a white face and green eyes; females are striped brown and yellow.","habitat":"Ponds, ditches, retention basins and gardens near water.","diet":"Mosquitoes, gnats and other small flying insects.","facts":["It is one of the most common dragonflies in {place}.","Males guard perches near water and chase rivals.","It eats huge numbers of mosquitoes.","It often perches with its abdomen raised to avoid overheating."],"range":"ALL -23a"},{"id":"red-imported-fire-ant","name":"Red Imported Fire Ant","scientific":"Solenopsis invicta","wiki":"Red_imported_fire_ant","group":"other-bug","origin":"invasive","danger":"venomous","dangerNote":"VENOMOUS. Swarms out of a disturbed mound and stings repeatedly, causing burning pain and white pustules that last for days. A small share of people (about 1 to 6 percent) have a severe allergic reaction (anaphylaxis); dizziness, chest pain or trouble breathing after stings is a medical emergency.","idTips":"Small reddish-brown ants of mixed sizes that boil out of a loose, dome-shaped soil mound with no visible entrance hole. Mounds appear in sunny lawns, pastures, roadsides and garden beds, especially after rain.","habitat":"Sunny, disturbed ground: lawns, parks, pastures, roadsides, playgrounds and garden beds; also inside electrical boxes. During floods, colonies float on the water as living rafts.","diet":"Insects, other invertebrates, seeds, honeydew and small animals; foraging can happen year-round in Texas.","hosts":[],"invasiveNote":"Native to South America, it arrived in the U.S. at the port of Mobile, Alabama, between 1933 and 1945 and is now considered one of the worst invasive species in the world.","facts":["It arrived in the U.S. at the port of Mobile, Alabama, sometime between 1933 and 1945.","More than 14 million people are stung by it in the U.S. each year.","Its sting leaves a white pustule that can last for several days.","Its mounds of loose, fluffy soil have no opening on top; the ants pour out from tunnels below when the mound is disturbed."],"refs":[{"label":"Wikipedia: Red imported fire ant","url":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_imported_fire_ant"}],"factRefs":{"0":[{"label":"Wikipedia: Red imported fire ant","url":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_imported_fire_ant"}],"1":[{"label":"Wikipedia: Red imported fire ant","url":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_imported_fire_ant"}],"2":[{"label":"Wikipedia: Red imported fire ant","url":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_imported_fire_ant"}],"3":[{"label":"Wikipedia: Red imported fire ant","url":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_imported_fire_ant"}]},"range":"ALL -24f -24b -26c -23a"},{"id":"puss-caterpillar","name":"Puss Caterpillar (Southern Flannel Moth)","scientific":"Megalopyge opercularis","wiki":"Megalopyge_opercularis","imageUrl":"https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/aa/Southern_Flannel_Moth_caterpillar_-_Megalopyge_opercularis%2C_Merrimac_Farm_Wildlife_Management_Area%2C_Aden%2C_Virginia.jpg/960px-Southern_Flannel_Moth_caterpillar_-_Megalopyge_opercularis%2C_Merrimac_Farm_Wildlife_Management_Area%2C_Aden%2C_Virginia.jpg","photoCredit":"Judy Gallagher, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons","group":"other-bug","origin":"native","danger":"venomous","dangerNote":"VENOMOUS. Never touch it: venomous spines hidden in its soft 'fur' cause severe, radiating pain that victims compare to a broken bone, sometimes with nausea, headache or trouble breathing. Remove spines with tape and get medical help for a severe reaction.","idTips":"An inch-long caterpillar covered in long, silky hair like a tiny Persian cat, from grayish white to golden brown or charcoal, often with an orange streak. The body tapers to a tail of hair. Found on oaks, elms, roses and other shrubs and trees, often at eye level in yards and parks.","habitat":"Trees and shrubs in yards, schoolyards and parks: oak, elm, wild plum, roses and ivy, among others.","diet":"As a caterpillar, the leaves of oaks, elms, wild plum, roses, ivy and other plants.","hosts":["Live Oak (Quercus virginiana)","Cedar Elm (Ulmus crassifolia)"],"facts":["Its fluffy 'fur' hides venomous spines that cause extremely painful stings.","Its sting is the most commonly reported caterpillar sting in the United States.","It is named 'puss' because it looks like a tiny Persian cat.","The adult is the southern flannel moth, a fuzzy orange-to-yellow moth with hairy legs."],"refs":[{"label":"Wikipedia: Megalopyge opercularis","url":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Megalopyge_opercularis"}],"factRefs":{"0":[{"label":"Wikipedia: Megalopyge opercularis","url":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Megalopyge_opercularis"}],"1":[{"label":"Wikipedia: Megalopyge opercularis","url":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Megalopyge_opercularis"}],"2":[{"label":"Wikipedia: Megalopyge opercularis","url":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Megalopyge_opercularis"}],"3":[{"label":"Wikipedia: Megalopyge opercularis","url":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Megalopyge_opercularis"}]},"range":"ALL -27h -25i -24f -24b -26c -23a"},{"id":"saddleback-caterpillar","name":"Saddleback Caterpillar","scientific":"Acharia stimulea","wiki":"Acharia_stimulea","imageUrl":"https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/9c/Acharia_stimulea_%E2%80%93_Saddleback_Caterpillar_%2843318542264%29.jpg/960px-Acharia_stimulea_%E2%80%93_Saddleback_Caterpillar_%2843318542264%29.jpg","photoCredit":"Andy Reago & Chrissy McClarren, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons","group":"other-bug","origin":"native","danger":"venomous","dangerNote":"VENOMOUS. Its spiny horns and sides sting on contact, causing a painful, swollen rash and sometimes nausea; rarely a severe allergic reaction. Remove hairs from the skin right away with tape and wash the area.","idTips":"A stout, slug-like caterpillar that is bright green in the middle with brown at both ends and a white-ringed brown spot on its back, like a saddle on a green blanket. A pair of spiny, fleshy horns sticks out at each end.","habitat":"On the leaves of many trees, shrubs and garden plants, including palms.","diet":"As a caterpillar, the leaves of many trees, shrubs and palms.","hosts":[],"facts":["It is one of the most widely known and recognized slug caterpillars, with a green \"blanket\" and a brown \"saddle.\"","It belongs to the slug caterpillars, which glide on suckers and mucus instead of walking on prolegs.","Its hollow spines break off in the skin and release an irritating venom.","Its adult is a small moth with a wingspan of only about an inch."],"refs":[{"label":"Wikipedia: Acharia stimulea","url":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acharia_stimulea"}],"factRefs":{"0":[{"label":"Wikipedia: Acharia stimulea","url":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acharia_stimulea"}],"1":[{"label":"Wikipedia: Acharia stimulea","url":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acharia_stimulea"}],"2":[{"label":"Wikipedia: Acharia stimulea","url":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acharia_stimulea"}],"3":[{"label":"Wikipedia: Acharia stimulea","url":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acharia_stimulea"}]},"range":"ALL -31c -27h -25i -24f -24b -26c -23a"},{"id":"lone-star-tick","name":"Lone Star Tick","scientific":"Amblyomma americanum","wiki":"Amblyomma_americanum","group":"other-bug","origin":"native","danger":"dangerous","dangerNote":"DANGEROUS. Its bite can spread ehrlichiosis and other diseases, and can cause alpha-gal syndrome, a lasting allergy to red meat. Check yourself after walks in tall grass or woods and remove ticks promptly with fine tweezers.","idTips":"A reddish-brown, eight-legged tick about 1/8 inch long before feeding. Adult females have a single white or silvery spot on the back; males have faint white streaks around the edge. Nymphs are tiny and easy to miss.","habitat":"Woods, brushy edges, tall grass and leaf litter, especially where deer are common.","diet":"Blood from deer, other mammals, ground birds and people.","facts":["Its bite can trigger alpha-gal syndrome, a lasting allergy to red meat.","It actively crawls toward people and animals instead of only waiting on grass tips.","Adult females have a single white spot in the middle of the back.","White-tailed deer are one of its main hosts."],"refs":[{"label":"CDC: Lone star tick","url":"https://www.cdc.gov/ticks/about/where-ticks-live.html"},{"label":"Wikipedia: Amblyomma americanum","url":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amblyomma_americanum"}],"factRefs":{"0":[{"label":"CDC: Lone star tick","url":"https://www.cdc.gov/ticks/about/where-ticks-live.html"}],"1":[{"label":"CDC: Lone star tick","url":"https://www.cdc.gov/ticks/about/where-ticks-live.html"}],"2":[{"label":"CDC: Lone star tick","url":"https://www.cdc.gov/ticks/about/where-ticks-live.html"}],"3":[{"label":"CDC: Lone star tick","url":"https://www.cdc.gov/ticks/about/where-ticks-live.html"}]},"range":"ALL -27h -25i -24f -24b -26c -23a"},{"id":"kissing-bug","name":"Kissing Bug (Eastern Conenose)","scientific":"Triatoma sanguisuga","wiki":"Triatoma_sanguisuga","group":"true-bug","origin":"native","danger":"dangerous","dangerNote":"DANGEROUS. It can carry the parasite that causes Chagas disease, which does occur in Texas. Don't crush it with bare hands; catch it in a container and submit it to the Texas A&M Kissing Bug Citizen Science program. Look-alikes like the wheel bug lack its red-orange edge stripes.","idTips":"A dark, flat, cone-headed bug about 3/4 inch long, with red-orange bands along the edges of its abdomen like a striped border. Thin antennae, a narrow, cone-shaped head and a beak folded under the body.","habitat":"Woodrat nests, dog kennels, chicken coops, woodpiles and under porches; adults fly to porch lights on warm nights.","diet":"Blood from woodrats, opossums, raccoons, dogs and sometimes people, usually at night.","facts":["It often bites people near the face while they sleep.","The disease parasite it carries spreads through its droppings, not the bite itself.","Texas A&M runs a citizen science program that tests submitted specimens for the parasite.","It flies to porch lights on warm spring and summer nights."],"refs":[{"label":"Texas A&M Kissing Bug Citizen Science","url":"https://kissingbug.tamu.edu/"},{"label":"Wikipedia: Triatoma sanguisuga","url":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Triatoma_sanguisuga"}],"factRefs":{"0":[{"label":"Texas A&M Kissing Bug Citizen Science","url":"https://kissingbug.tamu.edu/"}],"1":[{"label":"Texas A&M Kissing Bug Citizen Science","url":"https://kissingbug.tamu.edu/"}],"2":[{"label":"Texas A&M Kissing Bug Citizen Science","url":"https://kissingbug.tamu.edu/"}],"3":[{"label":"Texas A&M Kissing Bug Citizen Science","url":"https://kissingbug.tamu.edu/"}]},"range":"ALL -24f -24b -26c -23a"},{"id":"buck-moth-caterpillar","name":"Buck Moth Caterpillar","scientific":"Hemileuca sandra","inat":"Hemileuca","wiki":"Hemileuca_sandra","imageWiki":"Hemileuca_maia","imageUrl":"https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/7a/Hemileuca_sandra_caterpillar_532731567.jpg/960px-Hemileuca_sandra_caterpillar_532731567.jpg","photoCredit":"Alex Abair, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons","group":"other-bug","origin":"native","danger":"venomous","dangerNote":"VENOMOUS. Its branched spines sting on contact, causing burning pain, redness and swelling. In spring they drop from live oaks onto sidewalks and playgrounds, so teach kids not to pick them up. Remove spines with tape and wash the area.","idTips":"A dark caterpillar, up to 2 inches long, speckled with tiny pale dots and covered in tufts of branched, yellowish to reddish spines along the back and sides. It often travels in groups down tree trunks.","habitat":"Oak trees, especially live oaks and other oaks in yards, parks and woods.","diet":"As a caterpillar, oak leaves.","facts":["Its caterpillars swarm down oak trunks in spring to pupate in the soil.","The adult moths fly in late fall, often around the start of deer season, which gave them their name.","The black-and-white adult moths fly in the daytime.","Its caterpillars feed in groups when young."],"refs":[{"label":"Wikipedia: Hemileuca maia","url":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hemileuca_maia"},{"label":"Texas A&M AgriLife: Stinging caterpillars","url":"https://citybugs.tamu.edu/factsheets/biting-stinging/others/ent-1018/"}],"factRefs":{"0":[{"label":"Wikipedia: Hemileuca maia","url":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hemileuca_maia"}],"1":[{"label":"Wikipedia: Hemileuca maia","url":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hemileuca_maia"}],"2":[{"label":"Wikipedia: Hemileuca maia","url":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hemileuca_maia"}],"3":[{"label":"Wikipedia: Hemileuca maia","url":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hemileuca_maia"}]},"range":"ALL -31c -27h -25i -24f -24b -26c -23a"},{"id":"io-moth-caterpillar","name":"Io Moth Caterpillar","scientific":"Automeris io","wiki":"Automeris_io","imageUrl":"https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d0/-_7746_%E2%80%93_Automeris_io_%E2%80%93_Io_Moth_caterpillar_%2829540314627%29.jpg/960px--_7746_%E2%80%93_Automeris_io_%E2%80%93_Io_Moth_caterpillar_%2829540314627%29.jpg","photoCredit":"Andy Reago & Chrissy McClarren, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons","group":"other-bug","origin":"native","danger":"venomous","dangerNote":"VENOMOUS. Its spines sting on contact, causing burning pain and a rash that can last for days. It hides on the undersides of leaves in gardens, so look before you grab. Remove spines with tape and wash the area.","idTips":"A bright lime-green caterpillar, up to 2.5 inches long, covered in clusters of branched green spines with black tips, with a red-and-white stripe running along each side.","habitat":"Gardens, woods and yards on many trees, shrubs and plants, including redbud, willow, hackberry, roses and corn.","diet":"As a caterpillar, the leaves of many trees, shrubs and garden plants.","facts":["Its adult has a large eyespot on each hindwing that it flashes to startle predators.","Its young caterpillars feed in a line, marching together from leaf to leaf.","Its stinging spines are hollow and connected to venom glands.","Its caterpillars feed on dozens of kinds of plants."],"refs":[{"label":"Wikipedia: Automeris io","url":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Automeris_io"},{"label":"Texas A&M AgriLife: Stinging caterpillars","url":"https://citybugs.tamu.edu/factsheets/biting-stinging/others/ent-1018/"}],"factRefs":{"0":[{"label":"Wikipedia: Automeris io","url":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Automeris_io"}],"1":[{"label":"Wikipedia: Automeris io","url":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Automeris_io"}],"2":[{"label":"Wikipedia: Automeris io","url":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Automeris_io"}],"3":[{"label":"Wikipedia: Automeris io","url":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Automeris_io"}]},"range":"ALL -27h -25i -24f -26c -23a"},{"id":"red-velvet-ant","name":"Red Velvet Ant (Cow Killer)","scientific":"Dasymutilla occidentalis","wiki":"Dasymutilla_occidentalis","group":"wasp","origin":"native","danger":"venomous","dangerNote":"VENOMOUS. Not an ant but a wingless female wasp, and its sting is one of the most painful of any North American insect. It isn't aggressive, but don't pick it up or walk barefoot on sandy ground where it runs.","idTips":"A fuzzy, ant-like insect about 3/4 inch long, covered in bright red-orange velvety hair with a black band across the middle. Females are wingless and run quickly over bare ground; males have dark wings and can't sting.","habitat":"Sandy, open ground, lawns, fields and trail edges in sunny weather.","diet":"Adults drink nectar; its larvae feed on the young of ground-nesting bumble bees and wasps.","facts":["Despite its looks, it is a wasp, not an ant.","Its nickname comes from the claim that its sting is painful enough to kill a cow, though it can't.","It squeaks when handled by rubbing parts of its body together.","Only the wingless females can sting."],"refs":[{"label":"Wikipedia: Dasymutilla occidentalis","url":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dasymutilla_occidentalis"},{"label":"Texas A&M AgriLife: Velvet ants","url":"https://citybugs.tamu.edu/factsheets/biting-stinging/wasps/ent-3003/"}],"factRefs":{"0":[{"label":"Wikipedia: Dasymutilla occidentalis","url":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dasymutilla_occidentalis"}],"1":[{"label":"Wikipedia: Dasymutilla occidentalis","url":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dasymutilla_occidentalis"}],"2":[{"label":"Wikipedia: Dasymutilla occidentalis","url":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dasymutilla_occidentalis"}],"3":[{"label":"Wikipedia: Dasymutilla occidentalis","url":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dasymutilla_occidentalis"}]},"range":"ALL -27h -25i -24f -24b -26c -23a"},{"id":"striped-bark-scorpion","name":"Striped Bark Scorpion","scientific":"Centruroides vittatus","wiki":"Striped_bark_scorpion","group":"other-bug","origin":"native","danger":"venomous","dangerNote":"VENOMOUS. Its sting is very painful, like a bad wasp sting, and can cause numbness; get medical care for children, the elderly or any severe reaction. Shake out shoes, gloves and towels left outside, and wear gloves when moving wood or rocks.","idTips":"A slender, yellowish-tan scorpion about 2 to 3 inches long with two dark stripes down its back, long thin pincers and a curved tail tipped with a stinger.","habitat":"Under bark, logs, rocks and debris, in woodpiles, and sometimes inside houses, attics and shoes.","diet":"Insects, spiders and other small invertebrates, caught at night.","facts":["It glows blue-green under ultraviolet light.","It is the most common of its kind in Texas.","Its mothers carry their young on their backs for the first days of life.","It hunts at night and often comes indoors in hot or dry weather."],"refs":[{"label":"Wikipedia: Striped bark scorpion","url":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Striped_bark_scorpion"},{"label":"Texas A&M AgriLife: Scorpions","url":"https://citybugs.tamu.edu/factsheets/biting-stinging/others/ent-1006/"}],"factRefs":{"0":[{"label":"Wikipedia: Striped bark scorpion","url":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Striped_bark_scorpion"}],"1":[{"label":"Wikipedia: Striped bark scorpion","url":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Striped_bark_scorpion"}],"2":[{"label":"Wikipedia: Striped bark scorpion","url":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Striped_bark_scorpion"}],"3":[{"label":"Wikipedia: Striped bark scorpion","url":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Striped_bark_scorpion"}]}},{"id":"red-harvester-ant","name":"Red Harvester Ant","scientific":"Pogonomyrmex barbatus","wiki":"Pogonomyrmex_barbatus","range":"ROLL HIGH TRANS EDW CROSS STX BLACK SCP RGV LAGUNA 34d","group":"other-bug","origin":"native","danger":"mild","dangerNote":"MILD. Its sting is very painful and can ache for hours, and dangerous to anyone allergic. Step around the bare circle of its nest. It is native and is the main food of the Texas Horned Lizard, so leave its colonies alone.","idTips":"A large red to rusty-brown ant, about a quarter inch long, with a square head and a fringe of long hairs under the chin for carrying seeds. Nests are a flat, cleared circle of bare ground with a hole in the middle.","habitat":"Open, dry ground in prairie, pastures and roadsides.","diet":"Mostly seeds, which it stores in underground chambers, plus dead insects.","hosts":[],"facts":["It is the main food of the Texas Horned Lizard.","It clears a wide circle of bare ground around its nest.","It harvests seeds and stores them underground, spreading some plants in the process.","Its nests can reach about 8 feet deep."],"refs":[{"label":"Wikipedia: Red harvester ant","url":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pogonomyrmex_barbatus"}],"factRefs":{"0":[{"label":"Wikipedia: Texas Horned Lizard","url":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Texas_horned_lizard"}],"1":[{"label":"Wikipedia: Red harvester ant","url":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pogonomyrmex_barbatus"}],"2":[{"label":"Wikipedia: Red harvester ant","url":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pogonomyrmex_barbatus"}],"3":[{"label":"Wikipedia: Red harvester ant","url":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pogonomyrmex_barbatus"}]}}]}