Beware: The Texas Toe Biter is Back to Inflict Pain in the State

There are lots of different animals and insects to watch out for while outside in Texas. Most are harmless but some have a very protective or aggressive nature to them.

Snakes and spiders are always top of mind when it comes to dangerous animals in Texas. There are also some insects to watch out for like ticks and mosquitoes that can spread disease.

But there is one insect that exists in Texas that is very scary looking and has a painful bite called the Texas Toe Biter. Is it dangerous? Is it deadly?

Vinegaroon

Texas is home to some very unusual and sometimes scary-looking creatures. One of those creatures is called a vinegaroon. It is a lobster-looking bug that shoots acid. The thing is, as scary-looking as it is, it is harmless to humans unless you agitate them.

They also come out mostly at night to do their hunting. They use their pinchers and a whip at the end of their tail that can shoot out acid to help catch cockroaches, scorpions, and other dangerous insects. Leave these guys alone when you see one, they do a lot of good.

Vinegaroons are about 3 inches long and relatively benign unless you happen to annoy them. They can pinch with their heavy mouthparts (pedipalps) and shoot a well-aimed spray of 85% acetic acid (vinegar) from the base of their "whip" to protect themselves. - Big Bend National Park

Another creature that is gorgeous but also has a painful bite is the Blue Dragon. They are a type of sea slug that is normally found in the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans but have found their way into the Gulf of Mexico.

They grow to about one inch in length and feed on Portuguese man o’ wars. As the Blue Dragon eats the Man o' war, it "stores" the Man o' wars' stinging cells for its use. It will use those stinging cells to sting you if you pick one up in your hand.

View this post on Instagram
A post shared by Jae (@ms.jae.d)

Texas Toe Biter

On top of those two, there is another bug to worry about in Texas, Texas Toe Biter. This bug gets two to four inches in length and can live in both water and on land. Their body is oval in shape and has a brown color.

They have front pinchers that are used to grab prey like frogs and small fish. They will bite you if they feel the need. They use a sharp straw to stab into the skin of their prey to feed.

To humans, the bite is not dangerous but will sting and may leave some swelling around the bite area.

KXAN via YouTube

So there you go, some more fuel for tonight's nightmare with the Texas Toe Biter. Be aware of their presence when out in the wild in Texas.