1. Biodiversity of Alabama: Poisonous and Parasitic Species

2. 79. Copperhead
Agkistrodon contortrix
hourglass markings
most common poisonous snake in the woods of north Alabama
Ambush predator
Least poisonous venom of all North America snakes, but bite is painful
Not aggressive, but camouflage is so good that people can get bitten if they come upon it without seeing it

3. 80. Timber Rattlesnake Crotalus horridus
chevrons on back are characteristic
One of the pit vipers – has heat-seeking organs on head to detect prey, such as small mammals
Numbers are declining
Powerful venom, but not aggressive, usually gives warning display before attacking

4. 81. Cottonmouth or water moccasin
Agkistrodon piscivorus (name means fish-eater)
pattern or solid black,
inside of mouth white, shows open mouth in threat display
found near water
aggressive

5. 82. Coral snake south Alabama only “red on yellow, kill a fellow”
Not much of a threat to humans because they are so shy and fangs are short
Compare to Scarlet Kingsnake – “red on black, venom lack”

6. 83. Black Widow
found in undisturbed protected areas (old woodpiles, stumps, dry drains, old stacks of newspapers, etc.)
red hourglass on abdomen
neurotoxin affects nervous system

7. 84. Brown Recluse also found in undisturbed areas like the black widow
dark brown violin shape on thorax (“fiddleback”)
Necrotic effect of poison (eats away tissue)

8. 85. Order Hymenoptera
Flying stinging insects: bees, wasps, yellowjackets
Includes fire ants (also invasive)

9. 86. Poison Ivy grows as a low weedy plant, a climbing vine or a shrub
“Leaves of three, let it be.”
Hairy vines on trees are also poisonous

10. 87. Poison Sumac a woody shrub or small tree growing 20 ft tall.
Grows only in wet areas, such as swamps, bogs
All parts of the plant contain a resin that causes skin and mucous membrane irritation to humans.
When burned, inhalation of the smoke may cause the rash to appear on the lining of the lungs, causing extreme pain and possibly fatal respiratory difficulty
Has compound leaves, with 7-13 leaflets per “leaf”

11. 88. Leech
parasite on freshwater organisms
produces an antisthetic (numbs site) and anticoagulant (keeps blood from clotting)

12. 89. Deer tick very small (adults are the two on the left below)
Bites host to get a blood meal before reproducing
may transmit Lyme disease – causes bull’s eye-shaped rash, then joint pain, fever, flu-like symptoms