We all know to stay away from poison ivy, poison oak, and poison sumac, and that’s a lesson most of us end up learning the hard way. But one of the most poisonous plants in Mississippi is water hemlock, and you’ve probably seen it before and not known how toxic it can be. Since we often find ourselves outdoors in areas where it’s prevalent, I think it’s a good idea to give a brief description of this poisonous plant so you can be on the lookout for it.
Water hemlock grows in wet soil, so you can expect to find this perennial around marshes, riverbanks, streams, ponds, and even ditches... so you could very well have some growing in your neighborhood.
Touching the plant can cause severe skin inflammation and even a rash. If you (or your pet) ingest it, you’re looking at nausea and vomiting if you're lucky... Seizures, respiratory failure, and even death if you’re not.
Symptoms from touching this plant can happen as quickly as 20 minutes, but sometimes folks don’t notice until up to three hours later.
By that time, you may have completely forgotten about your encounter with water hemlock.
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Water hemlock is toxic to both humans and animals, so you want to be able to identify this plant to make sure your fur baby doesn’t accidentally brush up against it or take a bite.
If you find that you do have water hemlock growing in your yard and you'd rather it not, be sure you’re wearing very thick gloves and take extra precautions when handling this plant.
While these plants are beautiful, they're best observed from a distance.
Some sounds are just so representative of summer, and cicadas are one of them. This year, though, we are looking at a massive emergence of these little flying maracas that haven't been seen in over 200 years. Here's what you need to know about the cicadas in Mississippi for 2024:
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There are 3,390 types of cicadas across the globe, including 190 varieties in North America.
Many confuse these with locusts, but it's important to know that they are two different species. The cicadas that live in the United States are unique in that they spend most of their lives underground.
These periodical cicadas emerge from the ground every 13 or 17 years, and they all rise from the ground at the same time. While it is a cool party trick, there’s actually a method to the madness. The idea is that if they all emerge from the ground at the same time, it would be intimidating for predators. Predators can’t possibly catch them all, ensuring a good number can survive to reproduce.
Two different broods are going to rise up from the ground this year, Brood XIX (the 13-year cicadas) and Brood XIII (17-year cicadas).
Brood XIX is expected to emerge this spring for most of the south including Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Missouri, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia. The last time these guys saw daylight was in 2011.
Brood XII is expected to emerge in parts of Iowa, Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, and Michigan. The last time this group emerged was 2007.
There are a couple of states that will have an overlap of both broods.
They’re doing their best Marvin Gaye impression. Yep, the sounds we hear are males trying to attract females. Once they mate, the males will die and the females will go off to lay eggs in tree branches before eternally clocking out themselves. The eggs will hatch sometime between late July to early August when they’ll fall to the ground and burrow underground and that’s where they’ll stay for 13 (or 17) years.
The ground has to reach 64 degrees, so it’s a waiting game until that temperature is reached. Don’t worry, these things are so loud there’s no way you’ll miss it. It should happen around mid-May through late June.
The good news is, other than being extremely loud neighbors, cicadas pose no threat to humans or pets. They’re here for a good time, not a long time. Get yourself a good pair of earplugs, you're going to need them! Or, start planning a road trip over to the West Coast if you want to avoid them entirely.
Mississippi has been ranked the 36th most dangerous state in the country, placing it in the top half of states in terms of safety. But just in case you want to know which places are a little less secure, we’ve put together this list, with the help of Home Security Shield, of the most dangerous places to live in Mississippi. Is Mississippi safe? Remember, just because a city is on this list doesn't mean it should be avoided altogether. All of Mississippi's cities are awesome in their own right and have something great to offer. Let's take a look at the most dangerous cities in Mississippi.
Located in Jackson County, the city of Moss Point was extensively damaged during Hurricane Katrina in August of 2005, with most of the city either flooded or destroyed in a day’s time. The city may have been rebuilt but it is still among the dangerous places to avoid in Mississippi.
This Gulf Coast city is most known for its industrial ties, as it is home to one of the state’s largest employers, Ingalls Shipbuilding. While this city may be included among the state's most dangerous, the violent crime rate has been dropping over the past few years. Hopefully, soon it won't make the list of dangerous places to live in Mississippi.
Once known as the "Cotton Capital of the World," Greenwood has more recently become associated with the movie "The Help" since a majority of it was filmed in this Delta town. Something the town doesn't like being associated with? Having a violent crime rate significantly higher than the national average.
Find out more about Greenwood. Take a closer look at Greenwood:
This historic city is most commonly associated with the Vicksburg National Military Park, but as of 2013 property crimes seem to be another defining factor of the city. During that year, Vicksburg had over a thousand crimes of this type.
Located in Bolivar County, Cleveland has quite a large commercial economy and, unfortunately, a high overall crime rate to go along with it. To put it into perspective, your chance of becoming a victim of a crime while in Cleveland is 1 in 14.
There are plenty of positive aspects of this town as well. Find out more about Cleveland, MS. Take a driving tour through Cleveland:
This Washington County town may be the birthplace of Jim Henson, the creator of everyone’s favorite green muppet, but it is also one of the most dangerous cities in the state thanks in part to an extremely high occurrence of property crimes. In 2013 alone, Greenville experienced thousands of this type of crime, which includes burglary, larceny-theft, motor vehicle theft, and arson.
Greenville features some excellent opportunities to enjoy nature, though. Read more about Greenville Cypress Preserve.
One of the state’s largest cities, Jackson has a population of almost 200,000 – and the crime rate to go along with it. In 2012, the capital city was ranked 8th when it came to the most dangerous cities in the United States.
Even though this Delta city is a bit on the smaller side in terms of population, it is actually considered the most dangerous place to live in Mississippi. With a crime rate of 9.3 per one thousand residents, visitors to the town have a 1 in 12 chance of becoming a victim of crime.
Have you visited any of the most dangerous cities in Mississippi? Do you know of other cities that should be added to this list? Share your thoughts in the comments section For some good news, take a look at the safest cities in Mississippi.
