Plants, fungi, and wildlife

Black-legged tick

Ixodes scapularis

Deer tick. Lyme and other diseases. Smallest of the common ticks here.

American dog tick

Dermacentor variabilis

Larger ornate tick of fields. Rocky Mountain spotted fever is possible; Lyme is not its usual gift.

Brown recluse

Loxosceles reclusa

Violin mark, six eyes in pairs. Bites are uncommon and over-diagnosed — still take necrotic wounds seriously.

Northern black widow

Latrodectus variolus

Shiny black, red hourglass or split spots on the belly. Neurotoxic bite. Rarely fatal now, still an ER visit.

Monarch

Danaus plexippus

Orange migrant. Caterpillars on milkweed. Not food. A sign your pasture still works.