Natt N. Dodge

“ Although sand dunes devoid of vegetation are characteristic of the Sahara and some other deserts of the world, those of the United States support a variety of plant and animal life which, through generations of adaptation, are able to meet the conditions imposed by this environment (see frontispiece) . Persons who misunderstand our deserts fear them, while others who have visited them become fascinated and return periodically or settle down and live in them. ”

“ The range of the solpugid or sun spider is by no means limited to the desert, but its reputation as a poisonous creature seems to be much worse in the Southwest than elsewhere.
The solpugid not only is perfectly harmless to man but does not rely on poison in capturing its prey, as it has no venom glands whatever. ”

“ As scientists explore deeper and deeper into the intricacies of animal behavior and obtain more and more knowledge of the ecological relationships among animals and between animals and plants, it becomes increasingly clear that these relationships present a delicate balance or adjustment of nature. ”

“ Although the small amount of poison introduced beneath the skin by the sting of one of these creatures usually causes only temporary discomfort, there are sometimes after effects which may be more intense and of longer duration with some persons than with others. In general, stinging insects may be considered more as a nuisance than a menace, although a person attacked by a large number, or subjected to their stings for some length of time, might receive serious and perhaps fatal injuries. Known deaths have been caused by the sting of imported fire ants in southeastern States. ”

“ The poison of the Gila monster is produced by glands in the lower jaw. To be most effective, the poison must be ground into the wound through action of the grooved teeth, the process taking a little time. Bitten persons who immediately have broken away sometimes show no effects of the venom, therein lying the basis for the widespread statement that Gila monsters are not poisonous.
Bitten persons who have been unable to release themselves show symptoms of poisoning similar to persons suffering from rattlesnake bite, although the poison is more neurotoxic in action. ”

“ The poison mechanism of the coral snake is somewhat different from that of the pit viper group, to which the copperheads, cottonmouths, and rattlesnakes belong. The teeth of the coral are short, and to be effective the coral snake must chew rather than strike its victim.
The Arizona coral snake is so small—rarely reaching 2 feet in length—and its mouth is so tiny, that it would be very difficult for it to bite an adult human. It is conceivable that a small child playing with one might be bitten. ”

“ If a person receives a great number of stings, a physician should be summoned at once. The victim should be undressed, put in bed, and all of the sting scraped out. All parts of the body that have received stings should be covered with cloths soaked in hot water and wrung out. These applications should be as hot as the victim can endure.
Persons who are supersensitive to bee-sting venom show the following symptoms when stung: the skin over the entire body breaks out in lumpy welts, palms of the hands and soles of the feet itch. ”

“ Ants of various species are numerous on the desert, some of them becoming serious household pests, difficult to control.
There are effective ant poisons on the market, but the surest method of control is to find the nest and destroy it. Ants that are household pests usually are either grease eaters or sweet eaters, and the proper poison for the specific type should be obtained in attempting to rid the house of these insects. ”

“ The primary purpose of the sting is to paralyze or kill their prey, although it becomes more important as a weapon of defense with insects which do not prey upon or parasitize other creatures. Although the solitary insects use their poison as a means of personal defense if attacked or imposed upon, the social insects such as ants, social wasps and hornets, honeybees, and others, rally to the defense of their nests and in mass attacks against an intruder may cause painful and sometimes serious injury. ”

“ In the desert climatic conditions are ideal for honeybees, and they have become widespread and well established.
They obtain water at springs, seeps, waterholes, cattle tanks, dripping faucets, and leaking water containers, often congregating in such numbers around sources of water that they become a distinct nuisance to men and to animals. Individual honeybees are frequently found in flowers, or may fly in through an open automobile window, and sting one of the car’s occupants. Small children sometimes receive stings while playing on white clover lawns or going barefoot. ”

“ Not all scorpions are deadly. Danger from the two deadly species (one shown above) which look so much alike that only an expert can tell them apart, is greatest to children under 4 years of age. Unless prompt action is taken small children might succumb to the poison from a single sting from an individual of either of the deadly species. Older children may die from the effect of several stings, and adults, especially those in poor health, may suffer serious injuries. ”

“ One of the purposes of this booklet is to familiarize the desert dweller or visitor with the snakes that ARE poisonous. All the rest are harmless, in fact they are generally beneficial to mankind, even though their heads may be triangular in shape. A given territory is capable of supporting a rather definite number of snakes. Kill the harmless ones and those that come in to take their place may be poisonous species.
In all parts of the country certain creatures, particularly reptiles, are credited with supernatural powers for causing injury or aid to human beings. ”

“ At first thought it may seem unjustified to include the common honeybee in a discussion of poisonous creatures of the desert. Although the honeybee is not a desert native, having been imported from Europe, it has established itself in the wild state throughout the Southwest in locations providing adequate moisture and sufficient nectar-producing flowers.
Honeybees on the honeycomb
Throughout much of the United States honeybees are encountered in numbers only in apiaries operated by beekeepers, or in bee trees where the insects have established themselves. ”

“ Until recently the black widow was considered the only spider in the United States dangerous to man. In 1955, physicians in Missouri and Arkansas began treating persons suffering from the bite of the brown recluse spider, whose poison caused serious damage to the skin at the site of the puncture and often produced a severe systemic reaction sometimes fatal to young children. ”

“ The name vinegaroon stems from the fact that when the little creature is injured or smashed it gives off the odor of an acetate similar to that of acetic acid, the principal ingredient of vinegar.
Equipped with a massive pair of pincers, the vinegaroon, like the solpugid, gives an impression of fierceness which is probably the basis for much of its reputation as a dangerous criminal. ”

“ The Gila monster’s tail serves as a storehouse of nourishment, being thick and heavy in times of plenty, and thin and rope-like in the early spring when the reptile first appears after months of hibernation, during which time it has lived on the reservoir of fat stored in its tail. ”

“ Underside of Gila monster showing anal opening. This photograph is advanced as proof that the Gila monster is a perfectly normal creature in this respect. (Photo courtesy of Poisonous Animals Research Laboratory, Tempe, Arizona)
Food and habits
Food consists chiefly of bird and reptile eggs, young rodents, and such small or juvenile creatures as it is able to capture. It is especially fond of hen eggs and may be kept in captivity for a long time without other food. It is also fond of clear water, which seems strange because of the scarcity of this liquid in the natural habitat of the lizard. ”

“ The patient may be completely unaware he has been bitten, and the spider is seldom seen. Only after 2 to 8 hours does pain, varying from mild to severe, begin. After several days an ulcer may form at the site of the bite. The venom appears to contain a 12 spreading factor resulting in a spread of the necrosis or tissue destruction. In some instances, the ulcer may be so large that skin grafting is required, but the graft may take poorly or not at all. ”

“ Kill all of the snakes in a given area, and some of the control on rodent population is removed with a resulting increase in the destruction of vegetation and consequent damage to farmers’ crops. So if you must kill snakes, by all means limit your activities to those which are known definitely to be poisonous. ”

“ This is in contrast with the stubby or chunky appearance of the many non-deadly species.
Scorpions sting, they do not bite. The pincers at the head end of the body are for the purpose of holding the prey, which consists primarily of soft-bodied insects, while the scorpion tears it to pieces with its jaws.
The sting is located at the extremity of the “tail” and consists of a very sharp, curved tip attached to a bulbous organ containing the poison-secreting glands and poison reservoir. The sting is driven into the flesh of the victim by means of a quick, spring-like flick of the “tail.” ”

“ Because of their wide distribution and secretive habits, black widows are difficult to control. Basements, outbuildings, and garages should be cleaned frequently, and black widow webs and eggs destroyed. If accessible, the spider may be dislodged from her web with a broom, and smashed. ”

“ Certain South American species of the family Reduviidae are disease carrying and there is evidence the conenoses in San Diego County, California, are infected with a disease-producing flagellate. Lack of large bug populations in close contact with man and ineffective transmission habits protect man in the Southwest from disease contacts. However, the site of the bug’s bite becomes inflamed, and swelling may spread over an area up to a foot in diameter. ”

“ It is not a walking septic tank as many persons believe.
Largest of the lizards native to the United States, and the only species found in this country which is poisonous, the Gila monster rarely attains a length of 2 feet. Average specimens are smaller. Its beady skin, heavy body, short legs, and waddling gait set it apart from all other lizards except its close relative, the also poisonous Heloderma horridum of Mexico. The Gila Monster is a spectacular black and corral color, while the other is black and yellow. ”

“ The venom is injected when these spines pierce the child’s skin and the tips break off, producing a burning, itching, irritated, inflamed area. The welts, ranging in size from a dime to a dollar, are sometimes followed by severe muscle cramps and headache. Not lethal, the toxin may cause enough sleeplessness in a child to reduce his resistance to other infections.
Treatment suggested by Dr. Bernard J. Collopy, Assistant Medical Director of the Miami-Inspiration Hospital of Miami, Arizona, consists of immersing the inflamed area in iced water for thirty minutes. ”

“ Since people coming from Arkansas, Oklahoma, and Texas bring the majority of tales regarding the deadly characteristics of the little vinegaroon or whip-tail scorpion, fear of it is apparently more widespread 38 over the cotton belt as a whole than within the desert regions of the Southwest. ”

“ Tarantulas are nearsighted, and their habit of pouncing upon grasshoppers and other large insects on which they prey is probably the basis for exaggerated stories of their jumping abilities. Their strong, sharp fangs can inflict a painful bite, but they use them only rarely in defense against human molestation. ”

“ A majority of the poisonous creatures in the desert are by no means restricted to that environment. Rattlesnakes, for example, so often associated with the arid regions of the West, occur in nearly every section of the United States. ”

“ Whereas the poison of non-deadly species of scorpions is local in effect, causing swelling and discoloration of the tissues in immediate proximity to the point of puncture, that of the deadly species is general over the entire body of the victim. There is intense pain at the site of the sting but very little inflammation or swelling. ”

“ When in snake country, the hiker should wear knee-high boots or leggings, and should never place his hand on a rock or ledge above the level of his eyes. In other words, watch your step, and look before you reach! Apparently rattlesnakes may strike at a quick movement and are very sensitive to the body warmth of a nearby warm-blooded creature. ”

“ When disturbed, the caterpillar rears back on its hind legs and “makes a face.” The species has long been widespread throughout the southern states feeding on the foliage of oak, elm, plum, and sycamore trees. They have been found also in truck gardens and orchards. Recently they have invaded the desert mountains of the Southwest, having been reported by Stahnke as especially numerous in the Globe-Miami area of Arizona, feeding on the foliage of oaks.
Puss caterpillar (Courtesy Dr. Herbert L. Stahnke)
Because of their long, silky hairs, children are tempted to touch them. ”