Delaware is home to dangerous animals. Here's a look at 9 of them

Yahoo

24-05-2025

As the weather keeps getting nicer, it's time to get outside and enjoy late spring and summer.
However, there are more than a few things you need to be on the watch for as you go hiking or camping in the First State.
Delaware has some dangerous critters lurking throughout the state from the obvious to the not-so-obvious. This doesn't mean the animals will kill you, but they make you feel like you wish they had.
Here's a look at nine dangerous animals in Delaware.
According to the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control, copperheads are one of the easiest snakes to identify in Delaware. Although often reported throughout the state, this species is found only in southern Sussex County and near Wilmington. Along with its copper-colored head and catlike vertical pupils, the copperhead is the only species of snake in Delaware that has dark hourglass-shaped crossbands that are narrowest at the center of the back and wider at the belly. Bites from copperheads are uncommon, and 25% of defensive bites from a copperhead are "dry bites" or don't contain venom. The venom can cause severe tissue damage to the bite area, but death from a copperhead bite is extremely rare.
If bitten, you should try to get a photo of the snake and get medical attention as soon as possible.
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According to World Atlas, the timber rattler's habitat includes low mountain ranges such as the Appalachians, and it is recognizable by its triangular head and large venomous glands on either side. Its scales range in color from golden yellow to gray and green, and sometimes it can be totally black. It has a stout body and a rattle at the end of its tail. Although fatalities from a timber snake bite are few, these snakes can be deadly.
Black widow spiders are the only venomous spiders native to Delaware. The spiders are usually found in woodpiles, under eaves, fences and other areas where debris has accumulated, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. They may also be found living in outdoor toilets where flies are plentiful. A bite from a black widow can be distinguished from other insect bites by the two puncture marks it makes in the skin. The venom is a neurotoxin that produces pain at the bite area and then spreads to the chest, abdomen or the entire body.
While the bites are rarely fatal, people should seek medical attention immediately.
Delaware's snapping turtles have hooked jaws that snap with remarkable force. While the bite may not amputate your appendage, it can lead to an infection that would lead to amputation. Either way, a bite from these large turtles is painful. Snapping turtles prefer to relax deep in mud; they are less aggressive when in water, but on land, they often lunge and snap at will.
According to the DNREC, the coyote population is small in the state. People should never put food out to lure them closer. Nearly all bites or attacks occur when people attempt to feed wild animals or treat them like domestic animals. Enjoy watching wild animals, but don't lead them into temptation. Remember, all wild animals are unpredictable, and caution is the watchword when they are around.
OK, we all know there are black bear sightings in Delaware. We also know bears are not native to Delaware. They, like our friends coming from Washington, D.C., and Baltimore to Rehoboth Beach, are tourists. Still, bears are dangerous. That said, black bears are not particularly aggressive and, in fact, can be scared away by loud noises. Anyone who spots a bear should give it plenty of space, according to the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control.
OK, stop tilting your head. Yes, a mosquito bite is itchy and a welt may develop, but there's a lot more those little buggers can do. They carry some dangerous diseases. With one bite, you may get Zika virus, West Nile virus, Chikungunya virus, dengue or malaria, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Your best defense is going to be applying insect repellent or using citronella candles when you're outside.
You're walking through the woods, and you get a tick on your leg. While you might not think much of it, a bite from a tick is a gateway to a variety of diseases like Lyme disease, ehrlichiosis, spotted fever group Rickettsioses and others. When hiking or walking in grassy or wooded areas, your best defense is wearing long pants and shoes. Cover up your skin so the ticks aren't going to land on your skin.
Ticks in Delaware: Here's what to look out for and how to prevent bites
Sure, deer may charge at you if their fawns are nearby, but generally, deer are docile creatures. That said, have you ever hit a deer with a car? In 2021, according to the Delaware State Police, there were 1,849 car-deer collisions. Typically, the crashes happen between October and mid-December. According to the Delaware Office of Highway Safety data, deer-vehicle collisions occur most often between 5 and 7 a.m. and spike again from 5 to 10 p.m. – including when many people are heading home for the evening.
This article originally appeared on Delaware News Journal: Which dangerous animals are in Delaware: What to watch for