Nothing can put a damper on your outdoor adventure like an unexpected bite from one of Mother Nature’s most dangerous creatures. Here are four nasty little creatures that you should know about before starting out on your next outdoor adventure.
The Brown Recluse Spider
Just like their name suggests, Recluse spiders are reclusive and are only a threat if bothered. They like to hide beneath rocks, woodpiles, dead leaves, and bark. Recluse spiders are most active at night when they come out to hunt.
The Recluse Spider has a pale brown to reddish color, with long slender legs. They are also known as a violin spider, because of its violin shape markings. While bites are extremely rare, if bitten the venom can cause organ damage, and sometimes even death.
The Black Widow Spider
Black widow spiders are also highly venomous spiders that can be found in the western regions of the United States. They can be found beneath rocks, dead wood, dead leaves and bark, and in thick undergrowth. You can easily identify this spider by its shiny black body, and red hourglass marking under the belly.
The bite actually causes little pain when first attacked. Within the first hour, expect severe cramping in the abdomen and back, anxiety, headaches, nausea, vomiting, dizziness and heavy sweating. It is actually very rare for a Black Widow bite to cause death, but the symptoms are still nothing to take lightly. Watch where you’re putting your hands, and try to wear thick gloves when picking up wood for a campfire.
Rattlesnakes
There are over 30 different types of Rattlesnakes in the United States.
Bites are serious and can cause swelling that moves up toward the heart. This can cause numbness, swollen lymph nodes, increased heart rate, blurred vision, headaches, light-headedness, sweating, and chills. Bites often occur when someone scares the snake, steps on it, or provokes it.
If you come across a rattlesnake while out on the trail, keep your distance and allow the snake a good amount of room to move away. Keep your hands and feet away from any areas that you cannot see.
Scorpions
Scorpions can be found in the desert regions of the Southwest United States: Arizona, New Mexico, California, Utah and Nevada.
There are a number of different types of scorpions; in fact, experts say there are around 2,000 different species. Of all the scorpions in the United States, there is only one that you need to worry about, the Bark Scorpion.
The Arizona bark scorpion is the only scorpion capable of causing a deadly reaction in humans. They are about 1-3 inches in length and are actually one of the most commonly encountered house scorpions in the Southwest.
When hiking, make sure to shake out your boots and sleeping bags before use. It is not uncommon for a scorpion to take up residents inside an empty boot.
We have Black Widows in the Southeast US as well. I kill them all over my property in South Carolina. They are nasty little buggers that will make your life miserable if you get bit.
What about TICKS!!! they have ruined many lives here on the Right Coast. Lyme disease and the other tick illnesses are nasty. Just finished more antibiotics(similar to Malaria treatment) than i ever want to again and still have to wait up to two+ years to find out if they work. They are heading west as we speak. Deet and now impregnated clothes are a must in MA., RI, CT, and many other eastern states. Bad juju
kb
There are also scorpions in Oklahoma. Not as common at further west but they are here all the same. I have never seen one over 1.5 inches but the sting feels like a white hot nail being driven into your body. Hurts for hours after the bite.
i found about 5 scorpions under a large rock today i live in atlanta GA
they were a very dark brown color
Brown Recluse spiders like to live indoors and you can find large numbers of them in the same house or barn. They are VERY quick and that can make them difficult to mash.
Black Widows usually stay in their web and if you don’t go poking around under old shelves etc. then you probably won’t run into one but Brown Recluses are hunters that will wander around your home at night. They will climb up onto your bed and they will hide in the clothes in your closet or drawer.
Don’t forget to add Copperheads, Water Moccasins, and Coral Snakes to the Fun Reptile catagory. Also the Gila Monster is not to be played with.
Our problem in S.W. N.M. is the Western Conenose Bug. An evil little creature if there ever was one.
Ya we all 4 of those here in Florida and a few choice others like pigme rattlesnakes and now we have a problem with pythons.
the Brown Recluse Spiders are scary. i came across a couple when i lived in vegas. i put my back against the wall and when i got offed the wall i looked back and i noticed 2 brow reclueses right above were my head was. like 4-5 inches away.
Scorpions also live in San Antonio area as my husband and I were both stung in our home by some. I don’t know the specific species but they cause a big sting but not deadly.
Other types of mites (as mentioned ticks above) like chiggars in the South can ruin your day.
Where, what area of the U.S., is the brown recluse spider found?
there are some in indiana though
So fortunate to live in Britain, no seriously venomous critters living here, probably don’t like the rain. But I did get bitten by an ant whilst on vacation in Lake Powell, Utah, felt like a hot needle had been pushed through the tip of my big toe, hurt like hell for a while, but the throbbing sensation and swelling lasted for days.
Let’s not forget fire-ants!! They will swarm all over you and then, it seems, that the head fire-ant says, “Okay, BITE!”
Seriously, though, when they all bite at once, it seems like you are on fire, hence their name! Found in south Texas, and other southern states and now moving into Oklahoma, I understand.
Doesn’t anyone remember mosquitoes! Not only can they be a major pain in the rear, but are the largest carrier of disease in the world. That makes them pretty dangerous in my book.
I have Brown Recluse spiders in the trailer where i work.
missouri has scorpions too. i’ve been bitten by a brown recluse on my leg. it rotted out an area the size of an orange.
We definately have brown recluse spiders in Oregon, at least in the northwestern part of the state. A friend of mine was bitten by one on his foot and his whole ankle, foot and part of his leg were swollen for weeks. He did have to be treated by a doctor, too.
I live on the Connecticut shoreline and have had two friends bitten by brown recluse spiders. A few years back one friend was bitten while working in a warehouse in Bridgeport. We know for certain what kind bit him because he brought the spider with him to the E.R. (He killed it as soon as it bit him) Last year a female friend of mine kept ignoring a bite on her leg until I finally convinced her to seek attention. She now has a scar that looks like a cigar burn on both sides of her left calf as the venom ate almost straight thru by the time she went to a doctor. She never saw what bit her but was told that it was most likely a brown recluse. Scary.
moving to Vegas from Maryland and you guys are freaking me out. However I did live in Florida for a decade and knew many people that were bitten by brown recluses and even small snakes….The scorpions have me afraid to sleep in the dark. Lights on and television. Sorry hubby.