Texas is home to many kinds of spiders — some people reckon over 100 arachnoid species. From Amarillo in the panhandle to Corpus Christi and east to Dallas and Houston, you will find many types of brown spiders, the common Texas wolf spider, and several species of black and white spiders. Although there are a few varieties of venomous spiders in Texas, most spiders are relatively harmless.

Chinch bugs are common destructive yard pests that damage lawns. Chinch bug damage can appear as dead patches of turfgrass as if it’s suffered from sun scorch. However, the real culprit can be tiny brown or black bugs with a large white spot on their wing covers. These lawn pests in the turfgrass thatch feed on grass, thriving in hot, dry environments.

Yellow beetles generally have brightly colored yellow or golden yellow bodies making them stand out in a landscape. Some varieties of yellow beetles have black stripes or patches, giving them an incredibly striking appearance. The most common kind of yellow beetle is the striped cucumber beetle (Acalymma vittatum). Other common beetles with yellow bodies include yellow ladybugs, the velvet beetle, and the black and yellow longhorn beetle.

Green beetles are fascinating insects with smooth bodies, six legs, and two antennae. Some eye-catching green beetle varieties have shiny metallic green bodies and iridescent coloring. The most common beetle with a green body is the green June beetle (Cotinis nitida) which has a shiny green body with bronze patches on it. Although most beetles are relatively harmless, beetle larvae can sometimes damage turfgrass, ornamental plants, and even soft furnishing indoors.

Cucumber beetles are striped or spotted bugs that do damage to various types of crops. You may find the small yellow or orange beetles crawling on plants in the cucurbit family — cucumbers, pumpkins, watermelons, squash, and zucchini. The spotted or striped yellowish-green cucumber beetles eat shoots, flowers, and leaves, eventually killing your vegetables. Therefore, controlling and getting rid of cucumber beetles is crucial if you want to save your crops.