Stay Safe Outdoors: Know About West Texas’ Venomous Bugs

Today is officially the first day of summer and for a few weeks now, bugs are coming back for the season. I.HATE.SUMMER. only because of these pesky bugs. Rant over. So while most are harmless and don't want anything to do with you, some are venomous hunters on the prowl to see what they can find for dinner. Here in West Texas, we have several of those. The first one on the list is the Texas Giant Centipede or the "Texas Red-Headed Centipede" as it is also called.

These guys are venomous (although not typically deadly) and to get bitten by them feels painful like a bee sting. There have been extreme reactions to being bitten like having a heart attack, but the venom for the most part isn't fatal.

Then, there is the Southern Black Widow...

HEB used to hand out a pamphlet that showed you all the different species of spiders we have here in Texas, so you could watch out for them. But this one needs to introduction. You can't miss the red spot on her belly, and her bite is venomous and hurts. Her venom affects the nervous system but is rarely fatal in adults. Kids are a different story so if your child has been bitten, take them to the ER immediately. You'll probably experience pain, redness, and swelling at the site of the bite.

Just a couple critters to keep in mind when you're outside getting the patio furniture out of its box or out of the garage from being stored this past winter... Or moving planters to get ready to fill the flower beds now that Easter is upon us and the hard freezes overnight are behind us for a while. These critters like to hide in crevices and dark places. So wear gardening gloves and be careful!

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