Bug Walk in the Spring Lake Natural Area

  More than 20 curious minds explored the natural area January 14th.  Led by graduate student Gabby Cole we looked under leaves, around the bark of trees and under rocks. We were rewarded with many-legged creatures, even a few without legs. All fell under the magnifying glass for further inspection and were returned, live, after we learned about each of the critters.
  Our youngest explorers were particularly adept at finding the smallest of creatures, and of course, they were the most curious.
  The walks take place at 2 p.m. on the second Saturday of each month. Check out Gabby's facebook page, San Marcos Bug Walk, for the February location.   -LJ





A list of the bugs we saw:

Harvestmen (daddy longlegs) – Order Opiliones

Millipede – Class Diplopoda

Stone centipede – Order Lithobiomorpha

Black carpenter ant – Camponotus pennsylvanicus

Wolf spider – Family Lycosidae

Jumping spider – Family Salticidae

Geometrid moth – Family Geometridae

Anacua tortoise beetle (tracks/signs) – Coptocycla texana

Cochineal bug – Dactylopius confusus   

Short-horned grasshopper – Family Acrididae

Red imported fire ant – Solenopsis invicta

Ground beetle – Family Carabidae

Termite (tracks/signs) – Order Isoptera

Terrestrial Mollusk (land snails) – Phylum Mollusca