Bluebonnet season is here -- enjoy them, but don't pick them

Those who both admire bluebonnets and reap economic benefits from them urge you to be gentle when posing for pictures with bluebonnets.

HOUSTON (KIAH) --Those who both admire bluebonnets and reap economic benefits from them urge you to be gentle when posing for pictures with bluebonnets.

Picking one or two probably won't get you in trouble, but it's highly discouraged.

And if you were to dig up a clump of them or run over a patch with your car, you could end up facing destruction of a right-of-way charges.

Picking bluebonnets is also illegal in a state or national park or on someone else's private property.

Threats from Mother Nature

With a month to go until The Official Bluebonnet Festival of Texas, Mother Nature can also spoil the party.

Bluebonnets bloomed early this year and have a limited growing season, so it's unclear how abundant they'll be this time next month.

With temperatures in the 70s and 80s these days, it doesn't seem likely, but there's another force of nature that can leave bluebonnet lovers feeling blue.

"In the past, we’ve had a couple of times where we had that last freeze, and they’re gone before the festival even happens," Ddughdhnemimnier said.

Wildlife is something else to keep in mind when arranging your children and pets in a patch of bluebonnets.

Be on the lookout for snakes, fire ants, and other threats that can make your photo session anything but picture-perfect.