Almost all of us know the importance of not swatting at bees when they are swarming around us because they will feel threatened. Bees are usually attracted to anything that smells sweet and is a bright color. People do unfortunately get stung sometimes.
Did you know that a dead honey bee emits pheromones that let nearby bees know they should attack? If you’re near a hive and get stung, you’ll want to run, and run fast. You’ll want to find the closest shelter possible and try to avoid swatting at the bees following you.
Don't Go Into any Beautifully Colored Pools
If you find yourself camping in Yellowstone National Park you may see one of their beautifully colored hot springs and want to jump right into it. But you’ll want to avoid doing that. If you go into the pool, it could be deadly since they are usually at boiling hot temperatures of 200 degrees Fahrenheit or higher. To compare how hot that is, hot tubs are normally set at 105 degrees or below.
Some bacteria thrive in these extremely hot environments and they are what gives these pools their beautiful color. Each color represents a different bacteria. Within the National Park, there are usually signs that indicate whether an area is safe or not.
There’s No Warning for Quicksand, But You Can Get Out
Quicksand is usually, if not always extremely dangerous. It is denser than your body. If you put your foot in it, your foot will initially push the sand down, which will cause the water and clay to close around you. However, if the tides come in, that’s where you might be in drowning territory. If you find that you’re ever sinking in quicksand, you’ll need to wiggle your leg just a little bit and calmly step up.
If you’re able to get horizontal, there is a good chance that you will eventually float back to the top. However, it is possible that if the quicksand has gaseous bubbles, you have a higher chance of sinking.
If There Are Dead Fish on the Shore, Don't Go in the Water
It is not uncommon to see a dead animal washed up on the shore of the beach, but it should be alarming to you if you see several fish and/or other dead animals on shore. This is a telling sign that the water may be toxic. It’s very possible that “red tide”, which is when the water is filled with more toxic algae than normal. It can cause the water to become a reddish or brown color, other times the color may not change at all.
There is one particular algae species that causes them in the Gulf of Mexico called Karenia Brevis. If you go into these contaminated waters, you are likely to experience respiratory irritation like coughing and/or an itchy throat. However, if you rinse off in fresh water the symptoms are likely to disappear.
But if They Start Running Towards You, It Could Mean a Fire
Other the other hand, if you are seeing birds flying and animals running, there may be a chance that there is a wildfire in the distance. There are some animals though, such as amphibians, who stay in the area of the fire and just burrow themselves in the ground to escape it.
Obviously larger animals like the ones pictured above do not have this luxury and have to find safer ground.