Wild about Texas

WILD ABOUT TEXAS: Snapping turtle has an undeservedly bad reputation

By Michael Price

Many animals, particularly reptiles and various other “creepy-crawlies,” suffer persecution not for what they do, but for what they are perceived to do. One such creature is the typically benign snapping turtle. The common snapping...... Full story

The red-eared slider is a commonly-seen aquatic turtle

By Michael Price

Many people have an aversion to reptiles, particularly snakes. However, when they come to the realization that turtles are reptiles as well as their legless cousins, their stance on this group of ectothermic animals shifts. Many people recall fond...... Full story

WILD ABOUT TEXAS: Yellow mud turtle knows how to survive extreme weather

By Michael Price

Over time, the temperature and rainfall fluctuations have been anything but consistent in this area of the country, and this year is a prime example of that. Every living organism that calls West Texas its home has adapted to tolerate and even...... Full story

WILD ABOUT TEXAS: The opossum has thrived by adapting to human conditions

By Michael Price

Many mammals are wary of man, and many times their presence is detected only by sounds or even from tracks. One such animal that has adapted to human conditions while rarely actually being seen is the opossum. The Virginia opossum (Didelphis...... Full story

WILD ABOUT TEXAS: The armadillo is a sign of Texas and the Southwest

By Michael Price

Many animals can lay claim to being a symbolic representative of the Southwest areas of the United States, but few in Texas are revered with such fervor as the armadillo.The nine-banded armadillo (Dasypus novemcinctus) can be found in most of the...... Full story

WILD ABOUT TEXAS: Nutria continue to advance

By Michael Price

At the San Angelo Nature Center, we frequently are inundated with phone calls from frightened citizens who have witnessed what appear to be groups of overgrown rats near the Concho River or Lake Nasworthy. Many times, it takes a little bit of time...... Full story

WILD ABOUT TEXAS: The tarantula is a non-spooky pet for many

By Michael Price

With the approach of “All Hallows Eve” we are bombarded with images that can be described as frightening to downright terrifying on the television, in stores, etc. However, as scary as many of these images may be, they pale in comparison...... Full story

WILD ABOUT TEXAS: Black widow earns its name

By Michael Price

Not to push the “politically incorrect” button here, but honestly there are times when it is advantageous being a male. One example if this would be in the recent sharing in the experience of childbirth with my wife. Let me say how glad...... Full story

WILD ABOUT TEXAS: The wolf spider is a good, camouflaged insect hunter

By Michael Price

Think that you have a large extended family? Well, you have nothing on a group of creepy-crawlies known as wolf spiders. Wolf spiders are a diverse group of spiders that can be found worldwide, save for the coldest of the Arctic and Antarctic...... Full story

WILD ABOUT TEXAS: Bold jumping spider has an almost humanoid look

By Michael Price

If you have been a follower of this column for any length of time, you have read about my opinions on favoritism multiple times, whether it be a movie, a food group, music or even a different animal species. Well, once again, I would like to write...... Full story

WILD ABOUT TEXAS: Yellow garden spider keeps many insects in check

By MichaelPrice

Many species of spiders are so small and so non-descript that they are often just overlooked. However, there is a large species that occurs in west Texas that does not fit that bill. Garden spiders are a diverse group of spiders that can be found...... Full story

WILD ABOUT TEXAS: Viceroy butterfly uses mimicry to deter predators

By Michael Price

Most, if not all, animals will utilize camouflage as a defensive mechanism to protect them from predators. Mimicry is one type of camouflage that is used by one small species of butterfly that occurs in this area. The viceroy butterfly (Basilarchia...... Full story

WILD ABOUT TEXAS: Queen almost as colorful as monarch

By Michael Price

Most anyone who lives in West Texas is familiar with the heroic journey that the Monarch butterfly makes every year, as well as the beauty that species possesses. Yet there is a smaller, and less colorful, species of butterfly that also occurs here,...... Full story

WILD ABOUT TEXAS: Monarch lives up to its name indeed

By Michael Price

For a naturalist, living in West Texas definitely has its share of fringe benefits. The diversity of the flora and fauna that can be observed here is nothing short of amazing. One of the amazing feats of nature West Texans are privy to are the...... Full story

WILD ABOUT TEXAS: California sister butterfly is a beauty to behold

By Michael Price

Many species of butterflies inhabit West Texas, and many are considered to be drab in coloration. However, there is a species that is found here that many naturalists consider to be one of the most beautifully marked species in the entire...... Full story