Outdoor Hazards in Wisconsin a Guide to Insects, Plants, and Wildlife
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G3564 Outdoor Hazards in Wisconsin A Guide to Insects, Plants, and Wildlife Scott R. Craven Phillip J. Pellitteri Mark J. Renz Contents Introduction 1 Blood-feeding insects 18 Mosquitoes 18 WILDLIFE 2 Deerflies and horseflies 20 Amphibians 3 Blackflies 20 Salamanders 3 Biting midges 21 Toads 4 Ticks 21 Chiggers 22 Reptiles 4 Turtles 5 PLANTS 23 Snakes 5 Plants that are poisonous Birds 8 when ingested 24 Defending territory 8 Poison hemlock 25 Handling birds 8 Spotted water hemlock 25 Mammals 9 Bittersweet nightshade 26 Short-tailed shrews 9 Black nightshade 26 Bats 10 Jimsonweed 27 Skunks 10 Plants that are poisonous Porcupines 11 on contact 28 Coyotes 12 Poison ivy 28 Gray wolves 12 Poison sumac 29 Deer 13 Wild parsnip 30 Black bears 14 Stinging nettle 31 INSECTS & Plants that cause hay fever 31 other invertebrates 15 Common ragweed 32 Stinging insects 16 Giant ragweed 32 Bees and wasps 16 Thorny, barbed plants 33 Bull thistle 33 Beggarticks 34 References to products in this pub- lication are for your convenience Burdock 34 and are not an endorsement of Cocklebur 35 one product over similar products. Sandbur 36 isconsin’s bountiful natural resources—clear lakes and rivers, forests, rolling hills, and interesting land- Wforms—make the state an ideal place for outdoor recreation. When you hike, camp, hunt, fish, or enjoy other outdoor activi- ties, you may encounter animals, insects, or plants that are capable of causing problems. While wild animals, swarms of biting insects, and poisonous plants do exist in Wisconsin, the risk of meeting them is actually quite low. In most cases, you can avoid these natural hazards altogether or handle them with little difficulty. Using common sense and having a healthy respect for Wisconsin’s wild creatures and plants will go a long way toward maximizing your enjoyment of the outdoors. This guide will help you recognize, avoid, and handle potential problems caused by wildlife, insects, or plants. 1 Wildlife 2 isconsin’s wildlife includes more than 500 species of Wamphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals. Millions of dollars and hours are spent hunting, observ- ing, studying, and photographing these animals. The vast majority of Spotted salamander the species are absolutely harmless. Some, however, can inflict physical damage or, at the very least, cause a Salamanders bit of a fright! Most of Wisconsin’s salamanders are small, though some, such as the tiger or spotted varieties (Ambystoma Amphibians sp.),y ma grow to 10 or 12 inches in All amphibians found in Wisconsin— length. You won’t often see a solitary frogs, salamanders, and toads—are salamander since these reclusive nonvenomous and harmless. In fact, creatures seldom come into the frogs and salamanders make excel- open. But when environmental con- lent subjects for children to observe ditions are right, you may encounter and study. These creatures have no large numbers of them. For example, claws and do not bite. If you collect a warm early-spring rain may trigger them for study, please return them a mass movement of tiger or spotted quickly to the site from which they salamanders from their woodland came.e B familiar with Wisconsin homes to ponds used as breeding regulations about captive wildlife. Do sites. (Water is an essential part of not collect endangered or threat- the amphibian life cycle.) When these ened species for any reason! migrations occur, salamanders may literally fill window wells, Frog cover roadways, or otherwise create the general impression of an invasion. These animals are harmless and should be removed from natural traps and sent on their way. There is no harm in handling them except for the possibility of transferring their slimy skin secretions into your eyes, which may cause annoying—but not dangerous—eye irritation. 3 MUDPUPPIES The mudpuppy (Necturus sp.) is a large aquatic sala- mander (measuring up to 16 inches) found in rivers and lakes throughout Mudpuppy Wisconsin. Though not dangerous, mudpuppies can bite, and their size, on your hands, which usually causes bizarre external gills, and extremely you to drop the toad—exactly why slimy skin may startle an angler who it is done. inadvertently hooks one. Mudpuppies should be unhooked and released. They are rarely seen in the wild. Reptiles Toads Wisconsin’s reptiles—turtles, snakes, and lizards—are much better The amphibian that concerns people equipped to protect themselves most often is the toad (Bufo america- than amphibians are. Most reptile nus). This is mainly due to the myth species have sharp claws and power- that handling toads will cause warts. ful jaws, and two snake species are There is no need for concern—the venomous. Wisconsin’s lizards, which toad’s bumpy, warty skin is not con- include racerunners, skinks, and tagious to people or other animals. slender glass lizards, are quite rare The largest bumps on the toad’s and prefer to dwell in secluded spots. upper back are actually glands. You are much more likely to encoun- These glands secrete a foul-smelling ter a turtle or snake than a lizard. milky fluid that protects the toad Children are attracted to reptiles from being eaten by predators and as much as they are to amphib- can irritate humans’ eye and nose ians. And reptiles, like amphibians, membranes. The only real risk in can be examined or photographed holding a toad is having it urinate but should always be returned to the point of capture. Endangered or threatened species, such as the ornate box turtle, should be left alone! Toad 4 Turtles Snapping turtles can deliver a painful All of Wisconsin’s turtles have claws bite, but according to Richard Vogt and strong jaws. You can protect in Natural History of Reptiles and yourself from a turtle’s claws by Amphibians of Wisconsin, stories holding the animal securely by the of people losing fingers or toes to shell,e but b sure to keep away from snapping turtles are “questionable.” the turtle’s head—its powerful jaws In fact, snapping turtles rarely bite deserve respect. when they are in the water, and the fear of losing a finger or toe left dan- A turtle may walk slowly on land, but gling in the water is unwarranted. its surprisingly long neck and head can move rapidly. Any turtle of more Snakes than baseball-size diameter can While some snakes are harmless and deliver a bite that is painful, particu- others can deliver a painful bite, only larly to a child’s fingers. two of Wisconsin’s 20-plus snake species are venomous: the timber Snapping turtle rattlesnake (Crotalus horridus) and the massasauga, or swamp rattle- snake (Sistrurus catenatus). Through- out most of Wisconsin, the likelihood of encountering a venomous snake is very slim. VENOMOUS SNAKES The larger and more dangerous of Wisconsin’s two venomous snakes is the timber SNAPPING TURTLES Wisconsin’s rattlesnake, which sometimes snapping turtles (Chelydra serpen- reaches lengths of 4½ feet or more. tina) reach impressive size and are The timber rattler is a protected frequently seen in spring when species in Wisconsin. It is a yellowish females search for nesting sites on snake with bold, narrow dark bands; land. They are very aggressive out of an unmarked yellow to yellowish-tan the water! Stay away from the head head; a black tail; and tan rattles. end, and if you must carry a snapping turtle by the tail, hold it well away from your legs. 5 timber rattlesnake Timber rattlers live woodpiles. You should also know, territory mainly near cliffs, from consulting a first-aid guide, rock outcroppings, what to do in case you are bitten by a and steep, rocky venomous snake. hillsides along the The massasauga is a small- to Wisconsin and medium-sized, heavy-bodied snake Mississippi rivers that lives in low marshy or swampy and their tributaries in southwestern areas in west-central Wisconsin. It Wisconsin (see map). However, they tends to be grayer than the timber may occasionally turn up outside this rattlesnake and has distinctive primary range. stripes on its head. Timber rattlers are aggressive when The massasauga is an endangered cornered and are quite venomous. species and is rarely seen. It has If you are hiking or hunting in the disappeared from most of the 62 timber rattler’s range and habitat, Wisconsin townships in which it was be extremely cautious about where found before 1980, and now only a you place your hands and feet when few isolated populations are known you climb around rocks or walk near to exist in the southwestern third thick brush piles, fallen trees, and of the state, as far east as Walworth County. Massasauga The massasauga has lethal venom and humans have died from its bite, though no record of such deaths exists in Wisconsin. Its bite is seldom fatal, although it can be serious if left untreated. Timber rattlesnake 6 NONVENOMOUS SNAKES Several Both of Wisconsin’s venomous nonvenomous Wisconsin snakes, snakes belong to the pit viper including the bull snake, fox snake, family, so-named because of a pit, or rat snake, and racer, can reach depression, in front of each eye (see lengths of 4 feet or more. All have diagram below). The pits are heat- numerous sharp teeth and can sensing organs that aid in locating deliver a painful bite. Rat snakes and seeking warm-blooded prey. (Pantherophis spiloides) and Northern Nonvenomous snakes have no pits. water snakes (Nerodia sipedon) have Venomous snakes have elliptical, ver- nasty dispositions and will strike with tical eye pupils, while nonvenomous little provocation, while hognose varieties have round pupils. Also, the snakes (Heterodon platyrhinos) will scales on the underside of the tails of rarely bite, even if provoked.