Insects
Many types of insects can bite humans. While these bites can cause itching, irritation, and discomfort, clearly not all bites are poisonous. However, in some cases the bites or stings of ants, bees, wasps, ticks and spiders may require special attention.
While painful for all, the stings of bees and wasps are very dangerous- even lethal- to those who are highly allergic to them. People with known allergies should take precautions and inform their companions of their condition in the case of an emergency. Also, a person who is not allergic, but is stung repeatedly, should consider medical attention. Ask your doctor if you should carry an epi-pen with you at all times.
To prevent insects stings and bites, be careful not to leave food, drinks, and garbage out and uncovered. The smell of these things attracts insects, bees, and wasps. Similarly, sweet beverages, perfumes and bright clothing can also attract insects. Be sure not to walk barefoot, and to check beverages, clothing, towels and shoes that have been lying around immediately before using them, as insects and spiders can sometimes hide in these places.
As Massachusetts and Rhode Island are within the high risk region for Lyme’s disease, the bites of ticks also need to be taken seriously. People enjoying the outdoors should dress appropriately, wear insect repellent containing low concentrations of DEET, and examine their skin carefully. Deer ticks are quite small, but Lyme’s disease is dangerous nonetheless and can be best treated when diagnosed early.
For more information about this condition, prevention tips, and information on how to properly remove a tick, see the CDC’s page on Lyme’s Disease.
Spiders
There are two types of venomous, dangerous spiders whose habitats extend to include Massachusetts and Rhode Island. These are the Black Widow Spider and the Brown Recluse. The bite of either of these spiders is considered poisonous, but encounters with both spiders are rare in New England. Bites are infrequent in our region, and death is also unlikely.
The actual effects of the spider bite can vary greatly. How ill the person becomes is dependent on the age and health of the person bitten, the depth and location of the bite, and the amount of venom injected. In some cases, people do not even know that they have been bitten until a few hours have passed. If the bite is indeed from a Black Widow or a Brown Recluse, pain will set in after some time. Other symptoms may include changes in heart rate, sweating and vomiting. With a black widow bite, the pain often migrates to the back or abdomen and the victim may have severe cramps in these regions; with a brown recluse, the area around the bite will grow and become an unsightly lesion as the hours go by. If these symptoms occur, it is necessary to seek medical attention.
Spider bites usually happen when people inadvertently disturb a spider. It is a good idea to wear gloves when moving firewood, to keep attics, garages and basements clean, to shake and inspect clothing and shoes before use, and to take general precaution in areas which may be spider habitats.
 |
|
|
Black Widow |
| Brown Recluse |
If you have encountered a pest or spider and you are unable to identify it, consider consulting The Harvard Guide to New England Pests. This site includes an image gallery and a pest information database, where users may classify pests that they have encountered.
For interested parties, the Center offers a re-publishable article about Spiders in New England.
Pesticides
A pesticide is a substance intended to kill or prevent any type of pest. Pests include insects, mice and other animals, unwanted plants and fungi, and micro-organisms. By their very design, pesticides are intended to harm or kill certain types plants or animals, so they can indeed harm humans in certain circumstances. Pesticides include substances used by large industries and agricultural operations, as well as roach, ant, or weed killer products which you may have in your own home.
 |
Pesticides being sprayed |
Recently, biological pesticides and more carefully engineered chemical products are being used when possible to replace some of the traditional chemical pesticides that have been outlawed. But chemical pesticides can still be dangerous, and in some cases toxins can remain in the environment long after the pesticide was first used.
Pesticide poisoning can occur through ingestion, inhalation, or skin contact. Symptoms of a pesticide poisoning include headache, nausea, diarrhea, stomachache, and flu like symptoms.
Pregnant women, young children, the elderly and those who tend to have problems with allergies are most at risk to have a bad reaction to a pesticide exposure. These groups should avoid using pesticides and also try to limit their contact with these substances. Those who must use pesticides should take many precautions, including protective clothing, gloves and a mask. They should avoid prolonged exposure to the chemicals, and certainly try not to inhale the substances. They should also bathe after using the pesticides. And, importantly, no one should ever mix pesticides or ever put a pesticide in anything other than its original container.
Although, as mentioned above, insect repellents including DEET are an important defense against insects and ticks, one should also be cautious when using with these products. High concentrations of DEET can be harmful, as it is absorbed through the skin. When using products with DEET choose lower concentrations for both children and adults. Since some health conditions may put you at a higher risk for a negative reaction to DEET you should consult your pediatrician or primary care physician for advise on what is right for you.
For more information, consult the EPA’s site About Pesticides, and the site of the EPA New England Pesticide Program.
Plants and Mushrooms
Plants are one of the top ten poisonings reported in Massachusetts and Rhode Island. The symptoms of plant poisonings can include skin rashes and, if ingested, stomach problems. As with other questionable substances, the best way to control plant poisonings is to know what plants are poisonous. Do not keep poisonous plants in your home, especially if you have children. Be sure to teach children that it is dangerous to eat plants or mushrooms in the wild, as young people are often attracted to the colorful berries, flowers, fruits and leaves of plants. Even a plant that is not poisonous is still unsafe for a child to eat, as it may still cause an upset stomach or be a choking hazard.
The Regional Center for Poison Control and Prevention has prepared fact sheets that list common Safe Plants and Poisonous Plants, which you can use to help in your selection of appropriate plants for your home or garden.
 |
Poison Ivy |
Another valuable resource is Cornell University's Poisonous Plants Informational Database. This site includes a searchable database, an alphabetical listing of poisonous plants (which can be viewed by common or Latin names), pictures of the poisonous plants, information on the toxic agents found in plants, and links to other poisonous plant resources.
Eating garden or wild plants can be of concern for animals as well. While the Regional Center for Poison Control and Prevention does not have expertise in animal poisonings and does not provide advice on animal exposures, the ASPCA’s Animal Poison Control Center website gives information on plants that may be safe or toxic to the animals in your life. The ASPCA also provides an animal toxicology hotline for a fee. Call 1-888-426-4435 to speak with a specialist trained in veterinary toxicology.
Snakes
Only two of the fourteen species of snakes that live in the region of Massachusetts and Rhode Island are poisonous. However, snakes from all over the world are often kept as pets and are involved in many of the snake bite calls the Center receives. The two local species of poisonous snakes are the timber rattlesnake and northern copperhead. Poisonous snakes such as these can be distinguished by their diamond shape heads and vertical, elliptically shaped pupils. Both of these snakes live in secluded habitats and are quite rare; in fact, they are both endangered. Therefore, people rarely encounter these animals, and bites are infrequent. When snake bites do occur they often require a visit to the emergency room, but are rarely lethal.
Symptoms of a snake bite include swelling, bleeding and severe pain at the site of the bite, chills or fever, sweating, weakness, thirst, nausea, numbness, and changes in heart rate and blood pressure.
Although snake bites are rare in the Massachusetts and Rhode Island area, certain precautions are still wise. Snake bites usually occur on the hands, feet, and ankles. Always wear shoes or boots when hiking, and avoid walking through dense grasses or underbrush where you can not see your feet. Similarly, look before you sit or grab at something in the outdoors; you do not want to inadvertently disturb a snake. Finally, always hike with a friend, in case an emergency does arise.
The University of Massachusetts Amherst Natural Resources and Environmental Conservation offers a guide to the Snakes of Massachusetts. It includes information and illustrations of Massachusetts snakes, including the timber rattler and northern copperhead, and database features that enable users to classify a snake they may have encountered.
 |
|
|
Timber Rattlers |
| Northern Copperhead |
Photos of spiders and poison ivy courtesy of the Center for Disease Control; jellyfish photo courtesy of the National Undersea Research Program of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration; pesticide photo courtesy of the US Department of Agriculture; snake photos courtesy of US Fish and Wildlife Service.
