Past Presentation
Michael Smith
Wednesday, February 4, 2026 · 7:00 PM
About the Talk
Smith, Horned Lizards and Horny Toads
What’s the story behind TCU’s “horny toad”? Michael Smith talks about the life history of everybody’s favorite, the Texas horned lizard, as well as the other two species that live in Texas. They eat harvester ants, can squirt blood at attackers, and are wonderfully adapted to the places they live in. He discusses their disappearance from much of Texas. Smith, a retired psychological associate with lifelong expertise in nature, expresses a passion for herpetology, ecotherapy, and being aware in nature. He has written three books,* two of them on herpetology and natural history and the third on the importance of being mindful in natural places throughout the state. He also writes at Our Lives in Nature and for Green Source Texas You can find his newsletter “Rain Lilies” on Substack.
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