Transcript Field Safety

Environmental Explorations
Field Biology
 Dangers to the student
 Dangers to the environment
Poison Ivy
Causes painful itchy rash
One of the first plants to get
red leaves in the fall
Oil from the plant causes the
allergic reaction
Can be spread all over your
body and between people
Occurs as vine and short
plants
Pokeweed
Poisonous berries
Used as a natural dye
Cooked leaves are eaten by
some people
Canadian Thistle
Invasive plant from Canada
Leaves can cause scratches
and allergic reactions
Bees and wasps
Most do not sting
But you don’t know which
ones do or don’t
Poisonous snakes
 Only 2 in Loudoun County
 Copperhead
 Timber rattlesnake
Copperhead
Found in Ashburn
Aggressive especially in hot
weather
Occurs in fields and even
yards
Timber rattlesnake
Not in Ashburn
Can be found on the Blue
Ridge Mountain
Not as aggressive as the
copperhead
Has a distinct rattle warning
Snake safety
 If you see a snake, let a teacher know immediately
 Do not approach the snake
 It is probably a black snake common to Ashburn
 Poisonous snakes have vertical pupils
 If you can see his eyes you are too darn close
 Do not run or scream
 Snakes can strike up to 1 ½ times their length
Dangers to the environment
 Littering
 Throwing chemicals on the ground
 Releasing lab animals into the schoolyard
 Breaking branches
 Killing insects
The End