1. MOSQUITOES

There are times during a Wisconsin summer when we find ourselves covered head to toe with mosquito bites and that old joke about the blood-sucking insect being the state bird isn’t very funny. Beyond the itching, mosquitoes can be truly dangerous: Around here, they can carry the West Nile virus and La Crosse encephalitis, both of which may be fatal in rare cases. One bright spot: The mosquito species that carry the Zika virus, which can cause serious birth defects, don’t live in our state.

2. TICKS

There are 15 species in Wisconsin, but only two bite humans: the dog tick (a.k.a. the wood tick) and the tinier deer tick (a.k.a. the blacklegged tick, which may carry Lyme disease). Deer ticks have to be attached for 36-48 hours to transmit the Lyme bacteria, so be sure to check yourself thoroughly for the critters if you’ve been in the woods (or even your backyard). See pictures!

3. EASTERN MASSASAUGAS

One of only two poisonous snakes found in Wisconsin, the massasauga is a short, stout rattlesnake whose range is concentrated mainly in southwestern and central Wisconsin (You won’t find it in Eau Claire, Dunn, and Chippewa counties.) According to the Department of Natural Resources, the snake is 20-32 inches long with “large, distinct, saddle-shaped or oblong blotches” on its back. They are endangered in Wisconsin, and are usually shy around humans.

4. TIMBER RATTLERS

The state’s other poisonous snake is found mainly in rocky bluffs along rivers in southwestern Wisconsin. Timber rattlers range from 36-60 inches and have black or dark-brown bands around their bodies. Their bites can be dangerous – even deadly – but they’re generally shy and tend to rattle a lot before striking.

5. BATS

They won’t suck your blood, but these flying mammals are the most common species infected with rabies in Wisconsin. (No. 2 is the skunk, which you’ll want to avoid for other reasons as well.) Though bites are rare, keep yourself safe by repairing window screens and blocking even tiny holes that bats could use to get into your house.