Dangerous Critters in Florida

1. Dangerous Critters in Florida By Martha Thomas Lake County Livestock Agent

2. Protecting Farm Workers • Educate employees about critters • Description of animals in the environment and what to do if spotted. • Know if employee has a health issue and have on record. • Buy sting kits and put in an accessible location (Work Trucks, Tractor, Barn)

3. Keeping Area Safe • Know where critters are hiding! • Investigate sightings • Take occasions to hunt them down and exterminate. • If it is dangerous you may need to call an exterminator.

4. Poisonous Spiders • There are five species of venomous spiders in Florida. • The four widow species are all about ½” long with legs extended. • Females lay about 250 eggs in a pear-shaped egg sac that is about ½” to 5/8” in diameter. • The eggs hatch in about 20 days.

5. Southern Black Widow • Most widespread in Florida. It is glossy black with a complete hourglass marking on the underside of the abdomen. • Found under rocks and boards and around old buildings.

6. Symptoms of Bite • Bite feels like tiny pin prick. • Initial pain disappears rapidly, leaving local swelling and two tiny red marks. • Muscular cramps, pain in abdomen, nausea, sweating, and difficulty breathing. • Death can occur depending on victims physical condition.

7. Red Widow • Black abdomen and reddish-orange head, thorax and legs. • Top of abdomen usually has a row of red spots with yellow borders. This spider lacks a complete hourglass on the underside of the abdomen and instead usually has one or two small red marks.

8. Red Widow Habitat • Red Widow’s construct their webs in palmettos and has been found primarily in sand-pine scrub habitats in central and southeast Florida.

9. Brown Widow • This spider varies from light Gray to light brown to black. • Abdomen has variable markings of black, white, red and yellow. • The underside has orange or yellow hourglass.

10. Brown Widow Habitat • Found most often south of Daytona Beach along the coast. • It usually makes its web on buildings in well-lighted areas.

11. Brown Recluse Habitat • Found in sheds, garages or areas of homes that are undisturbed and contain a supply of insects to serve as food. • Persons bitten usually do not feel pain for two to three hours. • Blister arises at the site of the bite, followed by inflammation. Skin dies and takes six to eight weeks to heal.

12. Not an established species in Florida. • Recognized by the distinctive dark violin-shaped mark located on the head and thorax. • 1/4” to ½” long light tan to deep reddish-brown.

13. If Bitten • Preserve spider in rubbing alcohol for positive identification. • If you suspect it was a venomous spider get medical attention immediately.

14. Venomous Snakes in Florida • Six Species • Vipers have vertical (cat-like) pupils and a deep facial pit between each eye and nostril. They have blocky, triangular shaped heads that are broader than their necks.

15. Cotton Mouth/Water Moccasin • Most aquatic of Florida’s venomous snakes and occur throughout the state. • About 3’ long. • Adults are dark-colored and may have a faint cross band pattern or be a uniform black.

16. Copperhead • Small area in Panhandle west of Tallahassee. Primarily along Apalachicola River and its tributaries. • <3’ long with light brown to grey and dark brown colors. • Hourglass shape that makes exceptional camouflage in forests.

17. Eastern Diamond-Backed Rattlesnake • Very Dangerous • Florida’s largest venomous snake may exceed 6’ in length. • Lives in dry habitats such as pinelands, scrub, and golf courses. • Some individuals may not rattle, even when they are poised to strike.

18. Timber Rattlesnake(Canebrake Rattlesnake) • Only found in Northern Florida as far south as Gainesville and in limited portions of the Panhandle. • Prefers moist pinelands, river bottomlands, and hammocks. • Pinkish-gray to tan body color with prominent, irregularly-shaped, dark marks and bands. • Large thick heads and there may be a band running from each eye to the rear of the head.

19. Pygmy Rattlesnake • Smallest of Florida’s venomous snakes, exist in the entire state except the keys. Rarely exceed 20” in length. • Live in pine flatwoods, oak scrub, open pinelands, and palm hammocks. • Bodies are covered with numerous dark blotches with a row of darker blotches running down the middle of the snake’s back.

20. Coral Snake • Many habitats throughout the state but are seldom encountered because they are quite secretive and spend much of their lives underground. • Rarely longer than 30” and no bigger around that a quarter. • Redand YellowWill Kill a Fellow Red and Black Friend of Jack

21. Africanized Honey Bees (AHB) • Most noticeable characteristic is that it responds quickly to disturbances by people and animals 50 feet or more from the nest. • AHB can sense vibrations from power equipment 100 feet or more from the nest. • AHB will chase enemy up to a mile or more.

22. Apiculture Activity • In Africa they use bee hunting rather than bee keeping. Therefore, bees became more aggressive to protect themselves and therefore are unpredictable in behavior. • European honey be population in the U.S has been selected by beekeepers for manageable traits (gentleness, reduced swarming, high honey hoarding.

23. AHB Characteristics • Smaller than European bee and constructs cone with smaller cells. • Nest in smaller cavities and sometimes underground.

24. AHB Affect on Public • Decreased recreation and tourism • Liability issues in judicial system and insurance industry. • Loss of honey bees for crop pollination which are vital to our economy and food supply. • Reduced availability and higher costs of certain foods may result.

25. Protecting Farm From AHB • Remove potential nesting site • Inspect exterior walls and eaves • Seal openings > 1/8” • Install screens over vents, rain spouts, utility boxes and tree cavities • Inspect area for bee activity during peak swarming season (spring through fall)

26. Bee Safety Precautions • Listen for buzzing and look for bees entering or leaving an area, indicating a nest or swarm • Carefully enter areas where bees might be nesting • Examine area before using noisy equipment or penning livestock • Never disturb a swarm or colony of bees contact pest control company to remove

27. Locating Colony • Stay Away • Protect face and eyes • Take Shelter in enclosed area (Vehicle, house) Not water source they will wait • Contact Pest Control Company

28. If Stung • Scrape stingers from skin with a blunt object as soon as possible. If not done, venom will continue to be injected over time. • Wash with soap and water and apply ice. • If allergic reaction occurs seek medical attention immediately.

29. AHB Effects • AHB brought disaster to South and Central America beekeeping. Beekeepers were not prepared for the large, wild population of AHB which invaded their area. • They saw their own bees change rapidly and could not cope with the intense stinging behavior.

30. U.S. Bee Industry • Beekeepers must exterminate wild bee nests to protect their managed bees from resource competition. • Where wild populations of AHB build up, there will be reduction in forage availability. • Frequent re-queening, loss of apiary locations, and resource competition will all add to the cost and labor of beekeeping operations

31. Lyme’s Disease • Lyme disease is caused by the bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi. • This bacterium is transmitted between mammals by the black-legged tick, Ixodes scapularis, which is also called the deer tick.

32. Deer Tick

33. 3 Host Life Cycle

34. Symptoms of Lyme’s Disease • Rash, around the site of the tick bite that appears within 3 days to 3 weeks after the bite. • The rash expands into a bull's eye pattern. • Other symptoms include fever, flu-like symptoms, chills, headache, and extreme fatigue.

35. Symptoms of Lyme’s Disease • These may appear weeks to months after the initial symptoms • Joints - arthritis in the knee, elbow and wrist • Nervous system - headache, stiff neck, facial paralysis • Heart - myocarditis, heart block

36. Protection • There are many cases each year that cannot be attributed to out of state travel. • Best protection is wearing insect repellent containing DEET concentration at 10-15% • Check self, children, and pets after being in tick habitat and remove promptly.

37. References • Venomous Spiders in Florida D.E. Short and J.L. Castner • Recognizing Florida’s Venomous Snakes Steve A. Johnson and Martin B. Main • Lyme Disease in Florida1 Cynthia C. Lord and C. Roxanne Rutledge Connelly2

38. Thanks Questions?