Latest news with #copperhead
Yahoo
24-05-2025
- Yahoo
Delaware is home to dangerous animals. Here's a look at 9 of them
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. Flying venomous spiders in Delaware?: The flying, venomous Joro spider could be making its way to Delaware. Here's what to know 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
Yahoo
24-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Explore 7 stories demystifying NC copperheads and other snakes
Stories by News & Observer journalists, with AI summarization North Carolina copperheads, our most common venomous snake, are often spotted searching for food like cicadas or rodents in yards and gardens. Experts say copperheads prefer hiding under vegetation, porches, or in piles of leaves and wood, so clearing these shelters is the best way to make your space less attractive to them. Removing food sources like spilled birdseed can also help, as rodents drawn to the area bring copperheads in. Stories clarify common myths, such as baby copperhead bites not being more dangerous than adults, and that copperheads would rather avoid humans than bite. If you do see a snake, experts advise giving it space, not handling it, and calling professionals like NC Snake Catcher if needed, while always watching where you step, especially at night or in thick ground cover. Copperheads are NC's most common venomous snake, and sometimes they come a little too close to our front doors. | Published July 18, 2023 | Read Full Story by Kimberly Cataudella Fact or fiction: Are baby copperhead bites more venomous than adult bites? Here's what the experts say. | Published August 9, 2023 | Read Full Story by Kimberly Cataudella I've written more than a dozen stories about copperheads, but this was my first up-close-and-personal encounter. (Tip: cussing the snake out doesn't help.) | Published September 25, 2023 | Read Full Story by Brooke Cain Glass (legless) lizards look remarkably snake-like. We talked to wildlife experts to find out how to tell the difference. | Published May 20, 2024 | Read Full Story by Renee Umsted We fact checked 15 common beliefs about snakes, including several about copperhead behavior. | Published May 16, 2024 | Read Full Story by Kimberly Cataudella Tutuska We may be more likely to see snakes this time of year, as the weather warms. Use this information to make encounters less scary. | Published March 13, 2025 | Read Full Story by Renee Umsted Humans know to leave snakes alone if we see them. Dogs don't. In case a copperhead strikes your furry friend, keep these tips in mind. | Published April 11, 2025 | Read Full Story by Renee Umsted Brooke Cain The summary above was drafted with the help of AI tools and edited by journalists in our News division. All stories listed were reported, written and edited by McClatchy journalists.
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
NYC man bit by venomous copperhead snake on NJ bike path
A New York man dodged death when he was bit by a venomous snake while bike riding in New Jersey. Dan Geiger was pedaling along the Palisades Cliffs recently when he saw a snake in the middle of the bike path. 'I notice a lot of squashed snakes because snakes go out to the pavement to sun themselves or to gather heat, and I guess they're a target for automobiles,' Geiger told Fox 5. To prevent the animal from getting run over, he stopped to get off his bike and move it with his water bottle. Then disaster struck. 'I nudged it, it didn't, it was very lethargic seeming, and I just sort of nudged again, and I was just like too close, you know, my hand was just too close to its head, I guess, and it just, it struck me with precision and speed,' Geiger told the outlet. Geiger was able to call 911 with the help of two passersby, but he was already feeling the effects of the copperhead's bite. He was taken Hackensack University Medical Center, which has a team that specializes in treating bites from venomous snakes. While copperhead venom isn't usually deadly, it can cause serious symptoms like internal bleeding, swelling and tissue death. Daria Falkowitz, director of the Division of Medical Toxicology at Hackensack University Medical Center, told the station antivenom isn't a miracle cure. 'It just stops things from getting worse and so whatever tissue damage has already occurred prior to receiving it is there,' she said. Photos of the aftermath show Geiger's swollen, discolored right index finger. However, Falkowitz said because the antivenom was administered so quickly, Geiger likely avoided permanent damage. Copperheads are one of the 22 types of snakes native to New Jersey.
