A variety of creatures that deserve respect are found in Grand Canyon. Avoidance is your best bet; after all, they live there. Immediate treatment helps reduce symptoms. Recognize allergic reactions, know appropriate treatment and when to evacuate. Besides this list, you may also encounter flies, bees, gnats, spiders, condors, lizards and other creatures. Respect them all.
Red Ants
These nasties are in all heavily used camps, and more populous in late summer, as they flourish on the food left behind by river runners. They will bite you if you or your clothing pinches them. Brush or flick them off without pinching. Don’t open your dry bags until you must, and don’t toss your clothing on the ground. Red ants are active in the daytime and absent at night and during storms. The extremely painful bite (formic acid) causes local swelling that lasts for days. There are commercial products that help with the stings, including Afterbite and Sting Eze. Cold water eases the pain.
Scorpions
Grand Canyon hosts two kinds of scorpions, which hunt at night – don’t worry; they are not hunting for you! The big kind has a mild bite, like a bee sting or less. The small scorpion’s bite is much worse, like a hornet or worse. They hang out on rocks and brush, and glow under black light. They like to crawl underneath moist river gear. Avoid them by not laying out your sleeping gear until bedtime, checking inside your shoes before putting them on, and thoroughly shaking out your clothing and river gear before donning them. The toxin affects your nerves, causing local numbness and tingling and days of pain. Cold river water helps ease the pain.
Wasps
Watch the ground for fuzzy wingless wasps (aka velvet ants), either red or yellow and fast. The sting is painful; wear shoes, and don’t step on them! Cold river water helps ease the pain.
Snakes
There are several kinds of rattlesnakes, most of which are fairly shy. (The “mean green” mojave rattler can be found in the lower Canyon and is aggressive!) Don’t play with the snakes!! Take pictures, station a watcher to keep track of them if they are near camp. Do not touch and your odds of being bitten are small. Not all bites are equal: it is possible to be bitten but not injected with poison. Young snakes are more likely to administer large doses of poison. Infection is a risk with either type of bite. A snakebite is an automatic helicopter ride out of the Canyon.
Mice
Normally the worst thing mice do is chew through bags to get at your snacks. Keep food in rigid containers, tightly closed! Seal garbage cans at night. Hanta virus is carried by mice and spread by their urine and fecal matter. Don’t sleep under cliff walls or anywhere there are signs of mice. Hanta virus causes a flu-like respiratory condition that deteriorates quickly and can be lethal. A high fever and flu symptoms are another reason for a hasty evacuation.
Ringtail Cats And Ravens
They don’t attack people, but they will carry off your stuff. Ravens are diurnal, and pairs scavenge aggressively at each camp. Ringtails are nocturnal and great climbers. Close up bags and boxes when they will be unattended. Don’t leave food out. Contain your shiny treasures; ravens will pilfer things besides food, and they are strong.
Nasty Plants
The desert is full of them; pointy agave, prickly cholla, fishhook and barrel cactus. Walk carefully and wear shoes! Use a tool for removing cactus joints or spines from people; tweezers are OK but pliers are better. Forks are good for removing cholla joints. Beware of the tiny invisible spines that cling after the big ones are removed; these are the ones that can contaminate your clothing! If a clothing item is full of spines, put it away for the rest of the trip, and toss it if you can afford to. Your skin stings after pulling out spines. Treat for infection.