HOUSTON — Watch your step! Some furry -- and fast -- little creatures are crawling all over Houston right now, but don't worry. If they're what an expert told us they likely are, they're harmless to people! Your garden may be a different story.
One of our KHOU 11 producers captured video of one of them taking a speedy stroll down the street. We've also heard from others who have seen 'em around town. So we reached out to the Texas A&M Department of Entomology to ask them to watch the video and tell us what it was. They answered that it's likely a saltmarsh caterpillar, which would make sense because they tell us they're VERY plentiful right now.
The name comes from the type of grass they like to chow down on.
If you want to impress your friends, the fancy, scientific name is Estigmene acrea.
The saltmarsh is one of eight woollybear caterpillars that get their name from the fur or fuzz that covers their little bodies. Another type common in Texas is the garden tiger moth.
All woollybears are harmless to humans but if you're unsure, wear gloves before you try to handle one.
The woollybear's life cycle includes four stages -- egg, larva, pupa and adult -- and typically lasts about six months.
Adults lay up to 1,200 eggs on plants.
Birds and bats usually wait until they're moths to eat them because they don't like the fuzz, TAMU experts say.
Credit: Ray Akey - stock.adobe.com
The saltmarsh caterpillars are one of eight types of woollybear caterpillars named for the fur or fuzz that covers their little bodies.
Woollybear weather wives' tale
Woollybears are sort of the Punxsutawney Phils of the insect world.
There's an old wives' tale that the size of brown and black bands on the woollybears determines how severe the winter will be. The larger the band, the worse the winter.
