Nature Notes | The Woodlands Outdoor Pulse

Meet the mythical mantis flies that live in our backyard in southeast Texas. The mantis fly (family Mantispidae), also known as a mantidfly, is a unique predatory insect that looks like a cross between a praying mantis and a lacewing or wasp, though it...

While astronomical summer is not officially over, school has started and we’re starting to prepare for the season changing. Fall is a good time to start thinking about what you want growing in your yard next spring. If you're considering adding native ...

Meet the katydid, a master of camouflage and nighttime communication found throughout The Woodlands.

From acorns to towering canopies, discover why oaks are so important to our local ecosystem. If there is one group of trees that defines the landscape of The Woodlands, it's the oaks (Quercus). From towering trees lining our trails to sprawling live oa...

Discover the fascinating life cycle, unique calls, and important ecological role of cicadas in The Woodlands, Texas. Read the full article at woodlandsoutdoorpulse.beehiiv.com

A remarkable backyard discovery and the fascinating science behind one of North America's largest moths. woodlandsoutdoorpulse.beehiiv.com

Discover the colorful imperial moth caterpillar hiding in The Woodlands and the incredible life cycle that follows. woodlandsoutdoorpulse.beehiiv.com

I hope your family had a wonderful Fourth of July weekend. Ours was filled with many of the traditions that make summer in The Woodlands feel special, but one unexpected moment has stayed with me more than anything else we did. On Saturday, we joined h...

Sometimes all it takes is learning the name of something to start seeing it everywhere. This week, I hope that happens with Campsis radicans, commonly known as Trumpet Creeper, Trumpet Vine, or Hummingbird Vine. Once you know what you're looking for, I...

Spiny Softshell Turtle (Apalone spinifera) Most of us picture turtles as slow-moving animals protected by a hard, domed shell. Softshell turtles challenge that image. Their shells are flattened, flexible, and covered by leathery skin rather than the ha...

This week, millions of eyes turned toward the opening matches of the FIFA World Cup, and soccer fans across the United States had plenty to celebrate after the U.S. Men's National Team opened the tournament with a stunning victory. Events like the Worl...

During the last big rainstorm — we’ve been having a lot of those lately, our family did what we always do when the skies open up—we gathered in the garage to watch the show. Sheets of water poured from the gutters, raced down the driveway, and disappea...

Discover wolf spiders, the fast nocturnal hunters living along The Woodlands trails. Learn their surprising ecology, behavior, and devoted parenting habits. With Spring springing, we’ve been seeing a lot of bugs, insects, and spiders — the smaller majo...

This week we noticed several little mud bumps attached to the brick on our house. When we broke one apart, several bright green inchworm-like caterpillars were tucked inside. Then a sleek black wasp immediately flew in and tried to recover them. So wha...

Tiny clusters of fresh green leaves are emerging near sidewalks and fences in The Woodlands, bursting into vibrant displays of orange, yellow, pink, or purple flowers alive with butterflies. That’s lantana — one of the most recognizable warm-season pla...

If you had to count how many wild mammals you saw this week, what would your answer be? Most of us would say none—or maybe one or two. But the reality is, they’re all around us. Including one that’s likely been just a few feet away without you noticing...

If it feels like the air is suddenly full of flying insects, you’re not imagining it. Late spring in Southeast Texas brings two very noticeable visitors: lovebugs and June bugs. Let’s take a closer look at what they are and why they show up in such big...

Yellow-crowned Night Herons are stocky, medium-sized herons with gray bodies, black-and-white faces, red eyes, and a pale yellow crown stripe that gives them their name. During breeding season, they also grow long white head plumes, giving them an eleg...

This week’s Nature Note focuses on three common frogs you are likely to hear right now: Blanchard’s Cricket Frog, Green Treefrog, and American Bullfrog. What’s fascinating is not just that they’re present, but how each one quietly takes up a different ...

Meet the rosy wolfsnail, a surprising native predator quietly hunting snails in the forests, parks, and backyards of The Woodlands, Texas. Read the full newsletter here ( https://woodlandsoutdoorpulse.beehiiv.com/p/the-wolf-of-the-forest-floor-the-rosy...