Passport to Texas

Texas Bumblebee, photo Jessica Womack

Wildlife: Texas Bumblebees Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

[SFX—buzzing]

Bumblebees are the bomb—or per their genus: bombus. Texas has nine native species of this big, slow-flying, black and yellow insect. They’re effective pollinators of our native plant species, and many food crops, too.

This is the time of year when they start to wind down.

18— At the end of the summer, the queen that started the colony gives birth to new queens. The old queen dies and all her workers die. But the new queens mate, find a hole in the ground, spend the winter there, come back out in the spring, and she starts a whole new colony.

Michael Warriner… an invertebrate biologist with Texas Parks and Wildlife… tells us how this queen bee does it.

36— In early spring—February and March—the new queen comes out, and she’s foraging. [She] finds a nest site, and she starts making what’s called a “honey pot.” It’s a little waxen thimble, and she fills that with food. Then she accumulates pollen and makes a big pollen ball. Then she lays eggs, and she stays there [tending to the nest and larvae tht hatch]. And those are her first workers. Once her first worker daughters mature, she stays there [in the nest] full time—her main business is laying eggs. But, getting started is pretty much all on her: getting all the food and having the reserves to stay put and raise that first batch [of young].

Learn more about Texas Bumblebees at Texasbumblebees.com.

That’s our show for today… Funding provided in part by Ram Trucks. Guts. Glory. Ram

For Texas Parks and Wildlife, I’m Cecilia Nasti.

Stewardship: Sycamore Canyon Ranch Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Ruthie and Johnny Russell, with their sons McLean and William, own and operate the 87-hundred acre Sycamore Canyon Ranch—along the Devil’s River in Val Verde County. This family understands the importance of preserving the wide, open spaces for both livestock and wildlife.

15— We don’t want fragmentation to occur here. We love the open spaces. And you really can’t protect water, wildlife and habitat without big, open spaces. If I were a billionaire I’d buy as many ranches as I could and protect them. [laughs]

Ruthie says their goal is to protect, share and communicate the public benefits of private lands stewardship, including preserving beautiful vistas, native wildlife habitats, clean air and water.

08—We look at this as a wilderness area. A wild area. We want to preserve it. We want to protect it. And, it’s just the perfect wild place to protect.

Some range management strategies they’ve used include deferred grazing and aggressive whitetail population control. In addition, they put their ranch under a conservation easement to protect it for generations.

11—My brother and I were both raised on ranches and in the outdoors. It would never have crossed our minds had this not been put under a conservation easement to sell this land.

The Russell’s Sycamore Canyon Ranch is a regional Lone Star Land Steward Award winner for 2014.

The Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration program supports our series, and is funded by your purchase if fishing and hunting equipment and motorboat fuel.

For Texas Parks and Wildlife, I’m Cecilia Nasti.

Red Snapper

Angling: Red Snapper Survey Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Sometime this summer saltwater anglers will have red snapper on the half shell sizzling on the grill.

03— It’s certainly one of the most highly sought after [fish] in the gulf – both here in Texas and in other states.

And TPW wants to know more about your catch. Jeremy Leitz [LEETZ] works in coastal fisheries at Parks and Wildlife. He says the division started a one-year pilot program in May 2014 to collect information about red snapper harvests from recreational anglers.

11—We’re going to use that information we collect directly from anglers alongside our routine creel surveys to get a better estimate of the number of red snapper that are being caught by recreational anglers. One will validate the other one.

Leitz says one person in the angling party can fill out the online survey for everyone involved.

08—It’s a quick, short, three-four question survey: date of the trip, how many fish were caught, how many people in the angling party. It will take just a few seconds to fill out.

Filling out the survey is voluntary; find it on the TPW website.

12—Our routine creel surveys typically last from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. A lot of these folks may not come in until later in the day. So, this reporting website will catch some of those later anglers, and so we’ll see if we’re still matching up with our creel surveys.

Data from the survey will help biologists better manage the species, and improve fishing for all. The WSFR program supports our series; its funded by your purchase of fishing and hunting equipment and motorboat fuel.

For Texas Parks and Wildlife, I’m Cecilia Nasti.

Nice looking red snapper.

Angling: Red Snapper Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Seasoned anglers may roll their eyes when I make this confession, but I have been using “redfish” and “red snapper” interchangeably. This—I know now—is wrong.

11— Red snapper is different from what people commonly refer to as redfish or red drum. So, yes. Two different species. Red snapper and red drum… of which red drum is often referred to as redfish.

Thank you, Jeremy Leitz [LEETZ], for clearing that up. Jeremy is with coastal fisheries. These species are easy to tell apart: Red drum is more streamlined and has a black dot on its tail; red snapper is chunkier and…well… redder.

08—Red snapper are typically found in deeper waters along structures such as artificial or natural reefs. While red drum are in the gulf, they’re typically more sought after in our bay systems.

I’m telling you this because Parks and Wildlife’s Coastal Fisheries division requests your help with a voluntary red snapper survey, which makes accurate identification of the species vital.

14— What we’re asking of recreational anglers is that after a fishing trip, they log onto a website to record the number of red snapper that trip harvested. Only one angler needs to report per party, but again, after you’re done with your trip, log into the website and report the number you have caught.

The survey is a pilot program that continues through May 2015. Find it on the Texas Parks and Wildlife website.

The Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration program supports our series; it’s funded by your purchase of fishing and hunting equipment and motorboat fuel.

For Texas Parks and Wildlife, I’m Cecilia Nasti.

Dinosaur Valley State park, Paluxy River.

Recreation: Natural Swimming Holes Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

You don’t have to hunker down indoors this the summer when the temperature starts to climb. In fact, many state parks offer a cool alternative to air-conditioned cabin fever with a number of natural swimming holes…

Public swimming pools can be fun if you like noise and crowds. If you prefer peaceful playtime, float your cares away at Blanco State Park, 40 miles north of San Antonio. Here you’ll find cool, clear, spring-fed swimming for anyone seeking refuge from the long Texas summer.

Just 10 miles north of Beaumont is Village Creek State Park, and a free-flowing stream, popular with tubers and paddlers.

Located about one hour from Fort Worth, Dinosaur Valley State Park allows visitors to swim in the same Paluxy River where dinosaurs roamed 113-million years ago.

Garner State Park near Uvalde is home to 10 acres of Frio riverfront, giving visitors plenty of space to swim the clear water, scoot the rapids in inner tubes, or even rent pedal boats.

Find listings for river and creek swimming sites at state parks at texassrtateparks.org. You’ll also find a list of sites with lake swimming, and even some with ocean swimming. Or, if you prefer swimming pools, there’s a directory of parks offering those controlled environments to beat the heat. And don’t forget your sunscreen!

That’s our show for today… Funding provided in part by Ram Trucks. Guts. Glory. Ram

For Texas Parks and Wildlife, I’m Cecilia Nasti.