How to Spot Poison Ivy and Other Outdoor Hazards.

Here's what you can do to stay rash-free this spring and summer.

The weather is getting warmer and you are itching to be outdoors for your favorite warm-weather activity. But beware: Poison ivy, poison oak, and mosquitoes can make you see red and take the fun out of spring and summer activities.

Clusters of Three

Poison ivy may have shiny, dull, or hairy leaves. All varieties have white flowers or white berries. You can spot them by their clusters of three leaves. A popular saying about poison ivy is, "Leaves of three, leave it be." This will help you remember to avoid these plants--oven though not all plants with clusters of three leaves are poisonous.

It's the sap in poison ivy that's toxic. If the sap gets on the skin, it causes a red rash with blisters that itches and can be painful. Every part of the plant contains the sap--the leaves, roots, stems, flowers, fruit, and even the seeds. Poison ivy poisoning also can be caused by touching an animal or clothing that has come in contact with the plant. Even smoke from burning poison ivy plants has been known to cause skin rashes.

Some people may not get a rash the first time they touch the plant, so they think they are immune to it. But each time a person comes in contact with poison ivy, the person will become more sensitive to it.

Poison oak is very similar to poison ivy. It grows along roadsides and looks like a tall shrub or vine. It has shiny, leathery leaves that grow in groups of three. It has the same kind of poison in it as poison ivy and should be left alone.

If you should be exposed to any of these plants, change clothes and wash them and yourself with lots of warm soapy water as soon as you can. If you get a skin rash, it will heal on its own. Try not to scratch the rash because scratching could lead to an infection. If you need relief from the itching, see a doctor for medicine.

If you're going to be in an area where you might run into one of these plant hazards, be prepared. Products like IvyBlock can help block the sap of these plants from getting on your skin. You'll want to wash off with soap and warm water as soon as you come in, though.

Blood Suckers

Mosquitoes can be found anywhere that people are. That's because part of the female mosquito's diet consists of blood from mammals. Mosquitoes can eat more than their weight in blood. The 170 species in the United States are usually harmless, unless you are allergic to or get an infection from the mosquito bite. The bite normally causes redness, swelling, and itching. If you are bitten and need relief from the itching, an ointment or antihistamine may ease it. If neither helps, a doctor can prescribe something stronger.

In other parts of the world, especially in the rain forests, mosquitoes carry diseases like malaria or yellow fever. The disease is transmitted when the female mosquito pierces the victim's skin with its long beak and injects its saliva into the wound. These diseases kill one out of 17 infected people in the tropics.

Stingers

Bees and wasps are familiar outdoor insects, too. The wasp family consists of hornets, yellow jackets, and mud daubers. Wasps can sting many times, but honeybees die after they sting. Their stingers are left in the victims and continue to poison until they are removed. If you get stung, scratch off the stinger; don't pull it out. When a stinger is pulled out, it releases more poison because of the squeezing of the stinger and poison sac that is left behind.

Bees and wasps usually sting in self-defense. They won't attack unless they feel that you are a threat to them or their homes. The best rule to remember about bees and wasps is to leave them alone.

Some people get a little red bump when they are stung by a bee or wasp. Others are very allergic to bee stings. For people who are allergic, a bee sting that is not treated immediately by a doctor could cause a serious reaction, even death. Allergic reactions cause swelling in the throat and make it difficult or sometimes impossible to breathe. If you are allergic to bee stings, you should carry a bee sting kit when you're outside. The kit contains adrenaline that will help you to breathe more easily until you can get to a doctor.

You can avoid becoming a victim of a bee or wasp sting by wearing shoes and long pants and staying away from nesting places. Wasps build their nests in the ground, in hollow trees, o from overhangs around sheds or barns. Keep away from fallen logs, too. Jumping on or around them could cause a mass attack if they harbor a wasp nest.

Remember: To avoid the red, itchy rashes, bites, and stings, take these precautions:

* Avoid wild plants that have clusters of three leaves.

* Wear tops with long sleeves, long pants, shoes, and socks when hiking in wooded areas.

* Use a bug repellent.

* Don't wear perfume, scent, or hair spray when outdoors. These scents may attract bees and wasps.

By heeding these cautions, you'll be able to enjoy the great outdoors rash-free.

RELATED ARTICLE: What You Should Know About Bug Repellents

Some of the most effective bug repellents use the chemical DEET. Bug sprays contain anywhere from 4 percent to 100 percent concentration of DEET. The higher concentration can be harmful to children. Doctors recommend that children use no more than a 10 percent concentration of DEET (check the label).

The safest way to use DEET on young children is to put it on their clothing. Avoid contact with the eyes, mouth, or hands, and be careful to avoid cuts or scratches. You can also use special repellents for ticks by putting them on clothing, shoes, sleeping bags, and tents. But these products, made with the chemical Permethrin, have not yet been tested for safety on skin.

Some bug repellents contain sunscreen. One danger with combination products is that they are reapplied often--possibly every few hours--for the sunscreen protection. It is safer to use a separate sunscreen or use a combination sunscreen/repellent that does not contain DEET. DEET, researchers have found, can lower the protection of the sunscreen it is combined with by about a third.

Another ingredient that is used in bug sprays is citronella. It is not as effective as DEET, but it can be safely applied several times a day without harming children or adults.