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