Nature

Deadly Insects You Should Avoid at All Costs This Summer in the Texas Hill Country

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Tony Maples Photography

 

Every summer in the Texas Hill Country, not only are we excited to be spending quality time with our families, but we’re also outdoors more often than not. With that, the possibility of having a run-in with a dangerous insect greatly increases. Here are five insects of which you should be wary when you’re playing outdoors this summer in the Texas Hill Country.

1. Fire Ants

Deadly Insects You Should Avoid at All Costs This Summer in the Texas Hill Country

Photo: Wikimedia

According to reports, fire ants are “…an aggressive ant species that have invaded over 350 million acres across the U. S. and Puerto Rico since being introduced sometime in the 1930s. Originally from South America, it is believed the pests first entered the country through the ship port in Mobile, Alabama.”

2. Scorpions

Deadly Insects You Should Avoid at All Costs This Summer in the Texas Hill Country

Photo: National Park Service

These guys can give you the heebie-jeebies and far worse. “The ‘striped bark scorpion’ is the most common scorpion found in the Hill Country,” this Texas Hill Country article explains. “Scorpions are not insects but instead considered predatory arachnids. Found mostly in arid, rocky areas (like most of the Hill Country), they are most active at night, spending most of the daytime seeking cool, damp places to hide from the punishing Texas heat.”

3. Brown Recluse Spider

Insects You Should be Wary of This Summer in the Texas Hill Country

Photo: Pixabay

Despite the fact you can’t often see them (they like to hide in dark places), you should still be aware of the Brown Recluse Spider and their nasty bite. It’s part of the Loxosceles genus of spiders and is identifiable through a violin-shaped marking on the top of its body.

4. Wasps

Deadly Insects You Should Avoid at All Costs This Summer in the Texas Hill Country

Photo: Wikipedia

These bad boys carry some awful painful venom. The two most common in the Hill Country are the yellowjackets and red wasps. They appear to be abundant in urban areas, but it’s also not uncommon for them to build their homes under the eaves of rural homes as well. They will attack if their nests are disturbed.

5. Black Widow Spider

Deadly Insects You Should Avoid at All Costs This Summer in the Texas Hill Country

Photo: Marine Corps

Known for the shiny black body of the female of the species, with a red hourglass design, the Black Widow Spider is considered one of the most venomous in the entire continent. Although their bite is rarely fatal to humans, their venom can be very dangerous to those in poor health as well as young children.