Delaware is home to some dangerous animals. Here are 8 of them

As the weather keeps getting warmer, it's time to get outside and enjoy what late summer has to offer.

However, if you plan on going camping or hiking this season, there are a few things you should be on the lookout for.

Delaware has some dangerous critters lurking throughout the state, from the obvious to the not-so-obvious. This doesn't mean the animals will kill you, but they make you feel like you wish they had.

Here's a look at eight dangerous animals in Delaware.

Eastern copperhead snake

According to the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control, copperheads are one of the easiest snakes to identify in Delaware.

Although often reported throughout the state, this species is found only in southern Sussex County and near Wilmington.

Along with its copper-colored head and catlike vertical pupils, the copperhead is the only species of snake in Delaware that has dark hourglass-shaped crossbands that are narrowest at the center of the back and wider at the belly.

Bites from copperheads are uncommon, and 25% of defensive bites from a copperhead are "dry bites" or don't contain venom. The venom can cause severe tissue damage to the bite area, but death from a copperhead bite is extremely rare.

If bitten, you should try to get a photo of the snake and get medical attention as soon as possible. 

Timber rattlesnake

A timber rattlesnake is coiled in a greenbrier thicket.

According to World Atlas, the timber rattler's habitat includes low mountain ranges such as the Appalachians, and it is recognizable by its triangular head and large venomous glands on either side. Its scales range in color from golden yellow to gray and green, and sometimes it can be totally black.

It has a stout body and a rattle at the end of its tail. Although fatalities from a timber snake bite are few, these snakes can be deadly.

If you do get bitten, be sure to move away from the snake to avoid any more possible bites, remain calm and immediately call for help.

Black widow spiders

The black widow is one of two venomous spider species found in the Wilmington area.

Black widow spiders are the only venomous spiders native to Delaware. The spiders are usually found in woodpiles, under eaves, fences and other areas where debris has accumulated, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

They may also be found living in outdoor toilets where flies are plentiful. A bite from a black widow can be distinguished from other insect bites by the two puncture marks it makes in the skin. The venom is a neurotoxin that produces pain at the bite area and then spreads to the chest, abdomen or the entire body.

While the bites are rarely fatal, people should seek medical attention immediately.

Snapping turtles

Natasha Nowick, president and executive director of Turtle Rescue League, holds Rumpus, a male snapping turtle, in preparation for releasing him into the waters of his home in Reading. The organization cared for Rumpus after passers-by found him trapped in a beaver deceiver.

Delaware’s snapping turtles have hooked jaws that snap with remarkable force. While the bite may not amputate your appendage, it can lead to an infection that would lead to amputation.

Either way, a bite from these large turtles is painful. Snapping turtles prefer to relax deep in mud; they are less aggressive when in water, but on land, they often lunge and snap at will.

Coyotes

Biscuit and Kala, two coyotes at the Howell Nature Center at 1005 Triangle Lake Road.

People should never put food out to lure them closer. Nearly all bites or attacks occur when people attempt to feed wild animals or treat them like domestic animals. Enjoy watching wild animals, but don’t lead them into temptation.

Remember, all wild animals are unpredictable, and caution is the watchword when they are around.

Mosquitoes

OK, stop tilting your head. Yes, a mosquito bite is itchy and a welt may develop, but there's a lot more those little buggers can do.

They carry some dangerous diseases. With one bite, you may get Zika virus, West Nile virus, Chikungunya virus, dengue or malaria, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Your best defense is going to be applying insect repellent or using citronella candles when you're outside.

Ticks

Microscope image of a Blacklegged tick.

You're walking through the woods, and you get a tick on your leg.

While you might not think much of it, a bite from a tick is a gateway to a variety of diseases like Lyme disease, ehrlichiosis, spotted fever group Rickettsioses and others.

Roughly 19 species of ticks have been reported in Delaware alone, with three of them considered the biggest human biters: the American dog tick, the black-legged/deer tick and the Lone Star tick.

When hiking or walking in grassy or wooded areas, your best defense is wearing long pants and shoes. Cover up your skin so the ticks aren't going to land on your skin. Applying DEET tick repellant can also help.

When you get home, be sure to give yourself, your kids and your pets a good old-fashioned tick check: check under your arms, between your legs, behind your knees, in and around the ears, inside the belly button, around your waist and in and around all body and head hair.

If you do spot a tick, find a pair of fine-tipped tweezers, gently grasp and slowly remove the tick and put it in a sealed bag or container with alcohol. Be sure to clean the tick bite thoroughly, wash your hands with soap and water and call a health care professional if needed.

Deer

As of July 15, every Wildlife Management Unit in Pennsylvania still had antlerless deer licenses available. The second round for hunters to purchase a doe tag starts July 28.

Sure, deer may charge at you if their fawns are nearby, but generally, deer are docile creatures.

That said, have you ever hit a deer with a car?

Typically, crashes happen between October and mid-December. According to Highway Safety Office data, deer-vehicle collisions occur most often between 5 and 7 a.m. and spike again from 5 to 10 p.m. – including when many people are heading home for the evening.

If you do hit a deer, stay calm, move to the side of the road – with your hazard lights on – and immediately call 911 for assistance.