It’s time to go out and camp or swim in the ocean! But we need to take caution on the different types of dangerous marine life and bugs that are present in the mountains and the ocean. Here are a list of some to be careful of, and what to do if you ever encounter them.
The mountain:
- Hub / ハブ
Hub snakes live towards the south near Okinawa / Tatsumi and are quite large in size. They are nocturnal and like being near forestry and water. They are intimidated easily and will not hesitate to attack you. Their poison is not as strong as that of a Japanese Copperhead but since they are very large in size, they have more poison within them. After the second bite there is danger of experiencing an anaphylactic shock. If you spot one of these snakes please leave the area as quickly and as quietly as possible.
- Wasps / スズメバチ
Wasps are known to be very violent but that’s only because you stepped too close to their hive. Try to wear long sleeved shirts and long pants, white is the best color option, as black and red stimulates the wasps. DO NOT try to swat them away, they will not hesitate to attack you. Even worse, they could come back and attack in packs. If you spot one of them flying near you while making a clicking noise, that is a sign of them planning to attack. If that happens, get down low and try to run away. If you get stung by a wasp please call 911, wash the wound, and try to squeeze the poison out. You will feel very dizzy for about 15 minutes but do not panic and stay calm.
- Japanese Copperhead / ニホンマムシ
These snakes are frightened easily, so as long as you don’t go close to one there should be no problem. If it starts to show signs of intimidation, walk away from it as quickly as possible (they will stick their tongues out and hit the ground with their tails).
- Ticks / マダニ
Ticks are one of the most dangerous on this list, with them being anywhere; these little parasites might even be living in your pet’s fur. If a tick bites you, you may contract SFTS, Lyme disease, Japanese red spot fever, etc. Please do not try to pick a tick out without a doctor, the jaws of the tick may still be stuck in the skin. However if you leave a tick, it may stay stuck in your skin for over a week. The best thing to do is to call an ambulance and receive professional aid. To try and avoid from being bitten, the best thing we can do is to wear long sleeved clothing and long pants. Spray bug spray on yourself every 2 hours just in case.
The ocean:
- Jellyfish / クラゲ
If you touch a jellyfish’s stingers, you will feel an almost electrical shock run through your body. The wound will swell up and in the worst case breathing problems may arise. If you do get stung by a jellyfish, take a towel and try to pull the needle out of the wound. Wash the wound off with sea water and spread some medicine on the wound after cooling the swelling with ice. Don’t rub the wound, especially with your bare hands as the poison may spread to your hands. Don’t wash the wound with fresh water as the poison will spread deeper because of osmotic pressure. Make sure to call 911 as these are just first aid procedures.
- Rockfish / カサゴ
Although rockfish do not have any poison in them, they have a very strong jaw and are capable of biting your finger off. They live amongst rock beds, so try not to stick your hand or leg in any openings between rocks. If you encounter one in the ocean, try to swim away from it while it gets intimidated. After the tide pulls back, it’s possible that they are left behind in the rocks so be careful.
- Stingray / アカエイ
They are the most common type of stingray you will encounter. They have poison stored in between their tails. In the worst case, a sting from a stingray will lead to death due to severe levels of low blood pressure and problems breathing. While you are walking on the beach and you feel a slimy texture and a sharp sting right after, you most likely stepped on a stingray. Even wearing shoes will not stop the stinger from sticking up.
The mountain:
- Hub / ハブ
Hub snakes live towards the south near Okinawa / Tatsumi and are quite large in size. They are nocturnal and like being near forestry and water. They are intimidated easily and will not hesitate to attack you. Their poison is not as strong as that of a Japanese Copperhead but since they are very large in size, they have more poison within them. After the second bite there is danger of experiencing an anaphylactic shock. If you spot one of these snakes please leave the area as quickly and as quietly as possible.
- Wasps / スズメバチ
Wasps are known to be very violent but that’s only because you stepped too close to their hive. Try to wear long sleeved shirts and long pants, white is the best color option, as black and red stimulates the wasps. DO NOT try to swat them away, they will not hesitate to attack you. Even worse, they could come back and attack in packs. If you spot one of them flying near you while making a clicking noise, that is a sign of them planning to attack. If that happens, get down low and try to run away. If you get stung by a wasp please call 911, wash the wound, and try to squeeze the poison out. You will feel very dizzy for about 15 minutes but do not panic and stay calm.
- Japanese Copperhead / ニホンマムシ
These snakes are frightened easily, so as long as you don’t go close to one there should be no problem. If it starts to show signs of intimidation, walk away from it as quickly as possible (they will stick their tongues out and hit the ground with their tails).
- Ticks / マダニ
Ticks are one of the most dangerous on this list, with them being anywhere; these little parasites might even be living in your pet’s fur. If a tick bites you, you may contract SFTS, Lyme disease, Japanese red spot fever, etc. Please do not try to pick a tick out without a doctor, the jaws of the tick may still be stuck in the skin. However if you leave a tick, it may stay stuck in your skin for over a week. The best thing to do is to call an ambulance and receive professional aid. To try and avoid from being bitten, the best thing we can do is to wear long sleeved clothing and long pants. Spray bug spray on yourself every 2 hours just in case.
The ocean:
- Jellyfish / クラゲ
If you touch a jellyfish’s stingers, you will feel an almost electrical shock run through your body. The wound will swell up and in the worst case breathing problems may arise. If you do get stung by a jellyfish, take a towel and try to pull the needle out of the wound. Wash the wound off with sea water and spread some medicine on the wound after cooling the swelling with ice. Don’t rub the wound, especially with your bare hands as the poison may spread to your hands. Don’t wash the wound with fresh water as the poison will spread deeper because of osmotic pressure. Make sure to call 911 as these are just first aid procedures.
- Rockfish / カサゴ
Although rockfish do not have any poison in them, they have a very strong jaw and are capable of biting your finger off. They live amongst rock beds, so try not to stick your hand or leg in any openings between rocks. If you encounter one in the ocean, try to swim away from it while it gets intimidated. After the tide pulls back, it’s possible that they are left behind in the rocks so be careful.
- Stingray / アカエイ
They are the most common type of stingray you will encounter. They have poison stored in between their tails. In the worst case, a sting from a stingray will lead to death due to severe levels of low blood pressure and problems breathing. While you are walking on the beach and you feel a slimy texture and a sharp sting right after, you most likely stepped on a stingray. Even wearing shoes will not stop the stinger from sticking up.
