It’s Bug Season Again, So Let’s Look at Illinois’ Most Poisonous Creepy-Crawlies

On the WROK Morning Show, Joe Dredge and I have different takes on creepy-crawlies. Joe will scream and run at the sight of literally any snake, and I am no particular fan of up-close-and-personal encounters of the spider kind. Since I'm the dad around my house, I have to man up and deal with them anyway, though.

Both Joe and I find a lot of agreement in our assessment of Illinois as being a place where nasty little poisonous creatures are in short supply. I mean we're not covered in snakes and scorpions (I'm looking at you, Arizona), or scorpions and snakes (looking at you, Texas), but we've got a few of them in our state.

Let's meet a few:

Bees: Not only do their stings hurt and cause painful welts, but some people are deathly allergic and can go into anaphylactic shock. Urgent medical attention is essential.

Harvester ants: These insects have a tenacious bite with a vicious sting. The reaction can spread to the lymph system and cause pain for hours.

Browntail moth: This moth causes a reaction similar to poison ivy, spreading a full body rash that will violently itch uncontrollably. The rash can last for weeks if touched.

Brown recluse spiders: These spiders cause a dangerous reaction that can totally destroy the nervous system. Victims report never recovering from the effects and some can die. Get immediate medical attention if you’ve been bitten.

Black widow spiders: Everyone knows of this spider because of its potentially fatal bite. The female black widow can be particularly aggressive when it comes to protecting an egg sac.

Assassin Bug: While not poisonous (isn't the name alone bad enough?), these bugs stab--and stab--and stab--their victims to death. They go after other insects, but sometimes humans are on the receiving end. And it hurts--A LOT. Even if you get bitten by a baby assassin bug.