#dailydoseofdeadly

Name: Prairie Rattlesnake 

Species: Crotalus Viridis 

Class: 

Size: 35 - 45 inches in length and can grow up to 5 feet long

Habitat: Great Plains of the United States

Fatalities: Most of 7,000 recorded snake bites in America, fewer than 5 people die each year 

Conservation Status: Least Concern

Cowboy Carter, get ready to strike a match and light up this juke joint!

As one of the most infamous snakes that prowls North America, being printed on everything from Levii’s Jeans to cowboy boots and sunglasses, rattlesnakes play a huge role in western, southern, and Native American culture. These rattlers are native to the Great Plains of the United States (Montana, the Dakotas, Texas, Wyoming, Nebraska, Kansas, Colorado, New Mexico, Oklahoma) and stretches into parts of Canada and Mexico. Lurking prairies (hence the name), grasslands, brushes, and caves, the prairie rattlesnake is an ambush hunter. Sneaking up on mice, birds, and other rodents, humans don’t seem to be on the menu for this cowboy killer. Slithering along the banks of streams and forests, the prairie rattlesnake, typically tan and greenish brown in color, has an iconic head shape: a spade. 

A huge part of the folklore, rhymes, and stories woven into American history and the brand of the Wild West, rattlesnakes have sunk their fangs deep into cultures and traditions for centuries. One tradition involves weather-forecasting in Texas; if you flip a dead rattlesnake and it lands with it back up, rain is coming soon. However, if it lands with its belly up, that means drought continues. I’m not sure how accurate this is, but it’s probably more accurate than the apple weather app. In addition to weather-telling, the rattlesnake supposedly also has medicinal properties as told through works in literature. If you had tuberculosis, you were supposed to cut off the head of a rattlesnake, put it in a bottle of rum, and drink it. If you had rheumatoid arthritis, you were supposed to wear a belt of rattlesnake skin. A Native American legend is about a Native American who trained a group of rattlesnakes to play as instruments in a song with him. 

However, don’t be fooled by its popularity; it can still pack a punch with a single bite. The prairie rattlesnake’s venom contains both hemotoxins and neurotoxins to create a potent cocktail of debilitating effects for anyone who’s unlucky enough to cross paths with a prairie rattlesnake, but even more unluckier to get bit. Rattlesnake venom can cause myonecrosis, or localized muscle death, which occurs when enough blood cannot reach the muscle. Necrosis starts spreading rapidly throughout the body from the bite site. Another effect of the venom is coagulopathy, or the body’s inability to clot blood. Excessive bleeding occurs. However, most rattlesnake bites are not directly from the venom’s hemotoxic and neurotoxic effects; they’re due to severe anaphylactic shock or inability to get access to proper anti-venom and care. Severe anaphylactic shock is when the body has a severe allergic reaction, causing blood pressure drops and difficulties breathing. Getting a severe allergic reaction to rattlesnake venom is very rare, but it’s a risk for people who have previously gotten bit by one. 

Let's say that that snake does rattle you with its venom, do not do any of these things. Rattlesnake venom is very fast acting, and any delay to get medical help could cost you an arm or leg (literally and figuratively, rattlesnake antivenom in the United States is expensive :( ). Do not put ice on the bite, do not try to suck the venom out of it, do not tie off the wound or use a tourniquet. If you get bit, seek medical help immediately. 

While no one wants to wear denim on a hike, that pair of Levii’s jeans could significantly reduce the amount of venom penetrated through the material into your body. 

Name: Brown Recluse

Species: Loxosceles reclusa

Class: Arachnida

Size: About the size of a US Quarter, though most vary in size

Habitat: South, Central, and Midwestern United States

Fatalities per year: 7 deaths per year (for all types of spiders in the US)

Conservation status: Not extinct

 Everyone thinks that all the dangerous spiders are in Australia. But watch your back. One of the most dangerous critters in the world may just be lurking in your basement. The brown recluse, also commonly known as the violin spider, is found in the Midwestern and South central United States. This creepy crawler prowls in dark, isolated areas outdoors and indoors. A brown recluse spider could be spinning its web in the corner of your room right now, and you wouldn’t even notice it. Don’t panic yet, though. It’s actually pretty easy to differentiate a brown recluse spider and your regular daddy long legs. 

The brown recluse exhibits a distinct symbol on its body. A violin with its neck pointing towards the abdomen of the spider. So if you do happen to see one of these in your house, maybe it’s time to pack your bags. Extermination or just stepping on it may be a less drastic decision, however. While the size varies between different spiders, the average brown recluse is ¼ of an inch to 1 inch big. You could literally step on it. But don’t think of yourself so superior just yet. This little critter’s small size allows it to crawl into laundry and under blankets. Some rude awakening, I guess. Brown recluses can be anywhere from tan to deep brown in coloration, and this color is usually homogeneously spread across the spider’s legs and body. So now you know how to identify a brown recluse. But what happens when you luck out so badly that you end up bitten?

Good News! The bite probably won’t kill you, but you might wish you were dead. Brown recluse venom is hemolytic, meaning it will try to destroy your red blood cells, which may be a little problematic. This venom is particularly lethal in children, causing seizures and organ failure. The scariest thing is that you may not even feel a brown recluse bite when it happens. Let’s say, hypothetically, you get bit in your sleep. You wake up the next day with an insect bite and probably assume it was a mosquito, which is a topic for another day. As the days go by, you think, “Hmm? Why did this mosquito bite turn into a blister?” A couple more days later, the blister starts to get darker and hurts more. Finally, the venom causes necrosis at the bite site, causing your blister to turn black in color. Throughout these days, you’ve been developing a fever and nausea as well. For adults, the problem in a brown recluse spider bite isn’t the bite itself. It’s the infections that follow afterwards. 

It’s often very difficult to differentiate a brown recluse bite from a billion other things. It gets even more difficult when you don’t see the spider that bite you. However, if you are bitten, you should call Poison Control. There’s no treatment for bites currently, and most treatment is symptom specific. You should wash the bite with soap and water, and then apply a bandage to the area to prevent infection. If infection does develop, you’ll probably be prescribed antibiotics. The most simple way to avoid a bite is to never come into contact with a spider. Easier said than done when the spider is the size of a quarter. One way is to regularly visit and disturb dark and isolated areas in your house. Another way is to pick up your laundry and store your shoes inside the house. Wearing gloves when uncovering pieces of wood or doing other work outside can prevent accidentally irritating one of these nasty nellies. 

And if you do get bitten, just be glad it wasn’t a black widow.