Female Speaker: Along a Florida waterway, canoeing and camping offer a weekend of adventure. An appreciation for the great outdoors is one of the best gifts you can give a child. This involves educating them about the environment and its wildlife. Snakes and spiders have gotten a bad reputation, they can prompt fear. Yet, they're essential for a healthy ecosystem.

Dr. Lloyd Brown: We don't need to be afraid of every single snake. There are many, many harmless snakes, yeah, there are poisonous snakes and you need to be able to recognize what's poisonous or not poisonous. And if you don't know stay away.

Female Speaker: Dr. Lloyd Brown of Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles practices in a region where rattlesnakes are pretty common. He says people often get bitten when they try to catch a snake or they accidentally get too close.

Dr. Lloyd Brown: When you are out hiking be aware of your surroundings. Walk on well-marked trails. Keep your eyes out for snakes and if you know you're in a snake bite area wear boots.

Female Speaker: If your children should come upon a snake instruct them to walk around it leaving at least 6-feet. This puts them out of reach of striking distance. There are a few Do's and Don'ts when it comes to snakebite first aid. First, don't make cuts, apply tourniquets or put ice on the bite. These can further damage tissue. Do wash the bite with soap and water, it immobilize the bitten area, keeping it lower than the heart and seek immediate medical care.

Depending on how much venom has been injected, treatment can involve the use of antivenom. When medical care is prompt, the prognosis is good. Like snakes, spiders are good for the environment and are not interested in human prey. Most are harmless and bite only when threatened. Some like this wolf spider can cause pain, redness and swelling. Only a few, like the black widow and brown recluse spider, pose a serious threat.

If you suspect a spider bite, clean the bite with soap and water and apply antibiotic ointment to prevent infection. Apply a cold compress to reduce swelling, use acetaminophen for pain relief, elevate area, if possible, to heart level, avoid activity to limit the spread of venom. If pain, redness or swelling increases or stiffness, muscle aches or illness occur, seek immediate medical care.

Infection is a common complication of spider bites. So, make sure to keep all wounds clean. The same goes for ant bites. Ants you say, most ants are harmless. But fire ants that's a different story. Often many bites occur at once and these bites typically burn, turn into blisters and pose a risk for infection. Like bee stings, fire ant bites can trigger a potentially fatal allergic reaction called anaphylaxis.

Dr. Lloyd Brown: Those symptoms include shortness of breath, they feel they're tight, their throat closing, they'll feel like they've trouble breathing, they may start to get sweaty, they may even faint. And if you would have had any sort of those symptoms you really need to seek out medical attention immediately and call 911.

Female Speaker: Fortunately, allergies to insect bites are relatively rare. Prevent problems by having kids wear shoes, long sleeve shirts, and long pants. Talk to your pediatrician about what to watch for in your area. A few simple precautions should make nature truly nurturing.