jacque Janssen, arts/features editor
University Daily Kansan / Thursday, April 7, 1988
Science/Health
11
Creeping crawling critters
It may not be a jungle out there but be prepared for nature's way
By Brenda Finnell Kansan staff writer
The warm wind lifts the Frisbee up and beyond the student's reach. It lands in a nearby field, close to a pile of rocks. He runs barefoot through the tall grass to retrieve it, his mind on everything but the hazards of nature that might await him.
Chiggers might be crawling through the grass, searching for a meal. Mosquitoes could be flying around the paddles left from the last rainstorm. A frisbee-seeking kit would be unprepared for a Frisbee-seeking hand to disturb its rest.
But if outdoor enthusiasts like the Frisbee player take a few precautions, they can avoid problems that become common as temperatures increase and people spend more time outside.
"It's possible to get yourself bit by a whole host of kinds of insects or stung by them," said George Byers, professor of entomology and systematics and ecology. "But it's a matter of doing violence to those insects in order to get them to react that way."
Kansans are generally lucky when dealing with insects, though. Chances of getting sick from an insect bite or sting are slim because few dangerous creatures are in this area.
"It's probably about the safest place in the world, unless you go in the Arctic," Byers said.
Joseph Collins, zoologist and editor for the Museum of Natural History, said snakes, too, caused few problems.
Snakes are shy and frightened of people. They usually attempt to escape a manmotion when a dog bites them. Collins
"People usually discover snakes because they're standing on them," he said.
standing on them," he said.
Problems with nature can be avoided by simply being careful when outside and knowing how to handle problems that do occur, said Mary Altenhofen, nurse.
problems that do occur, said Mary Altenhofen, nurse health educator at Watkins Hospital.
Poison Ivy
Reactions to poison ivy are treated often at Watkins during spring and summer. Altenhofen said.
Ralph Brooks, curator and assistant director of the herbarium on West Campus, said poison ivy was very common in Kansas. No poison sumac grows in the state, but it is only found in a small ridge near the Kansas Oklahoma border.
"You can practically go anyplace you want in Kansas and find one type or another of poison ivy," Brooks said.
Poison ivy plants can grow many places such as fenceposts and trees, he said. It can even resemble small shrubs.
The adage, "Leaves of three, let them be" is an accurate piece of advice. Altenhofer said
The plant has three leaflets, and each leaflet is 1 to 5 inches long. In summer, the leaves are glossy green; in fall, they turn pink or yellow and blend in with the foliage.
The plant's sap contains an allergen that can cause a red, blistering, itching rash within a few hours of exposure to a person's skin. This time of year is when the plants contain lots of toxin-infused sap, Brooks said.
Individuals vary in their reaction to the allergen, but most can avoid problems if they cover their body when they are in areas where poison ivy might grow. If they think they have come into contact with the plant, they should thoroughly wash themselves with soap and
water and clean with detergent any objects that also might have touched the plant.
The allergen can be transferred from clothes, tools or even golf clubs that have touched the plant.
A baking soda bath and calamine lotion can provide temporary relief, Altenhofen said, but if the rash is unbearable, medical help should be sought. Scratching can cause the rash to spread to other body areas or can trigger an infection.
Snakes
Spring is the time of year when snakes emerge from their winter retreats, initially staying near their den sites before dispersing in late May, Collins said.
As a result, students who spend time at places such as Cliff Lake or Lake Perry might see snakes this season.
"They can expect, with the coming warm weather, to become one of the statistics called the person-snake encounter," Collins said.
But this encounter does not have to be bad, he said. Of the 38 kinds of snakes in Kansas, only four are venomous. The copperhead and the timber and massa-saga rattlesnakes are the poisonous types found in eastern Kansas.
People should be cautious where they put their feet and hands and should write when they put down the phone to talk to someone approachable.
just to leave the animal alone. He said. Altenhofen said snake bite victims were rare at Watkins. If a person is bit, he should seek medical help immediately.
"It's best just to leave the animal alone," he said.
"Probably the best thing you can do is really not do anything but give a person to the hospital as fast as possible," she said.
Collins said it was unlikely for a person to die from a venomous snake bite if he sought medical help immediately.
"If you're going to die from a venomous snake bite, you've got to work at it," he said. "You've got to throw all caution to the winds." Mosquitoes
Mosquitoes are more of a nuisance than anything else. Altenhofen said.
"They're basically just a pest," she said.
Most mosquito bites cause itching and discomfort for the victim.
Altenhofen said it was best to avoid areas where mosquitoes bred, such as puddles or swampy grass. A cool compress and calamine lotion can help relieve rubbing. Rubbing alcohol applied to the area also may help.
Chiggers
Chiggers are another warm-weather nuisance, Byers said. The arthropods don't come out of the soil looking for hosts to feed on until the ground warms.
Chiggers secrete enzymes that will digest part of the skin so they can insert their mouth parts. They can then tap into the fluid among the cells.
"If you scrape your skin and it doesn't bleed but some sort of yellow stuff oozes on the surface, you might be suffering."
chiggers were caused by chiggers crawling under the skin and dying. The sores actually are a result of people scratching and infecting themselves with the bacteria-loaded dirt under their fingernails.
Byers said a common myth was that the sores from
Altenhofen said that chigger problems couldn't be prevented completely but that people could decrease problems by sitting on blankets when they were in grassy areas. They should also wear long pants tied at the bottom and long sleeves that are tight at the wrist so that chiggers have little access to skin.
After being in areas where chiggers might live, people should take a shower and rub their skin with a soap.
"That will get it," he said. "That will shear off their little heads, or if they're still walking around on you looking for a place to settle down, that will squash them."
Chigger bites are best treated with a soda bath, Altenhofen said. Some clear fingernal polish on the bite can help the itching. People also can place ice in a bag, wrap a towel around it and apply it to the bite area. This decreases blood flow to the area and slows itching.
Rocky Mountain spotted fever is the disease associated with tick bite, but it is not common. Altenhofen said it was best to be safe, though.
Ticks
"A good rule of thumb with ticks is, if you've had a tick removed, it might not be a bad idea to take your temperature for 10 days to make sure you don't develop a fever," she said.
Headaches, chills and muscle pain are also symptoms of the disease. It also is important to have an current tetanus shot.
A person must be careful to remove the entire tick. Pulling up and then out with a pair of tweezers usually works, Altenhofen said. The area should then be washed with soap and water for about five minutes to prevent infection.
Prevention against tick bites is similar to that against chigger bites. Keeping skin access to a minimum is important. When camping or spending time outdoors, people should check every day for ticks, especially in their hair, around their ears and under tight hands of clothing.
Ticks tend to be around damp, weedy areas and trees. Altenhoven said. Sv4144
Many ordinary spiders have an undeserved bad reputation, Byers said. Although the brown recluse spider is poisonous, about 90 percent of spiders are brown, and people usually can't distinguish what type they have encountered.
"People get unduly alarmed at just any old spider," Byers said.
The brown recluse, known simply as the brown spider, is short-haired and slender, with a light brown head and chest. It is marked with a brown guitar- or violin-shaped symbol. It is often found indoors because it likes dry and warm habitats.
The other type of poisonous spider in Kansas is the black widow, but it is very rare. It has an hourglass shape on the underside of its shiny black body.
To avoid problems with spiders, people should avoid woodpiles and be careful when moving objects that have been stationary for some time. Altenhofen said. It is a good idea to shake out sleeping bags and clothes.
Seventy-five percent of brown spider bite victims are bitten while in bed or while dressing, she said.
Byers said spiders bit in self-defense and were usually doodle unless they were roughly handled.
"Who knows what makes the spider mad enough to bite," he said.
Non-poisonous bites can be treated by washing the area with soap and water and using an antiseptic spray.
spray.
If someone is bitten by a poisonous spider, or even suspects he has been, he should seek medical help immediately. Allenhofen said.
"If a person notices any type of bite or red spot, he should check it out," she said.
Stinging insects
Bees, wasps, hornets and ants are unlikely to bother anyone unless they are bothered first.
People should watch for nests and avoid attracting the insects by keeping food covered at p垦ices. Chasing or stalking these insects is not recommended.
Even if a person thinks he has killed a bug, he should be careful when picking it up because it might still be alive and have the ability to sting.
Most stingers can be removed by scraping along the skin with a dull object. An ice pack can reduce swelling. Baking soda paste can help relieve pain.
Altenhofen said it was very important to watch a person who had been stung to see if he developed an allergic reaction. One to two million Americans are allergic to bee venom. Within five to 10 minutes of a sting, a person can develop hives, wheezing, tightness in the throat, cramps or nausea.
Some people with these severe allergies carry a sting kit prescribed by a physician. But a person who has never been stung might not be aware of their allergy, Sug victims also should have a current tetanus shot.
Conflicts between man and nature can be avoided if people just use common sense, experts said. If people are careful, they can avoid problems and enjoy the outdoors during the sunny spring and summer months.
In the sunny spring and summer months.
Byers said he was sympathetic to nature's creatures.
Biers said he was sympathetic to nadeir's creatures.
"It's opposite from the common belief that all those little creepy crawlers are out there to get you," he said.
"That's just plain not so."
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