dot's Identifications

During the week of the historic Texas winter storm in February, I suggested as a substitute for the usual "Let's Get Outside!" activity challenge for my Texas Master Naturalist chapter members to stay inside and read a book about wildlife or nature instead. I chose to read "Science on the Texas Frontier: Observations of Dr. Gideon Lincecum". The book is a compilation of letters and other writings of the frontier naturalist. The first chapter is entitled "Gideon and the Ants of Texas" where he writes about his observations of what he called Agricultural Ants. He was referring to "harvesting or stinging ants" in the genus Pogonomyrmex which I am supposing is the same species as these at my son's place. I keep telling my grandkids to keep their eyes open and look for a horny toad to show up at the ant hill some day.