"Summer time and the livin' is easy," says the Gershwin song. How true-not only for humans but for a variety of other creatures as well. Unfortunately for us some of those creatures are venomous and we need to be on the lookout for them, especially at this time of the year.

Rattlesnakes, black widows, Arizona brown spiders, and scorpions do not set ambushes for hapless gardeners. Like us they are just trying to make a living, and we encounter them when we intrude into their work areas. You are not a potential meal for one of these creatures but a very real threat, and the animal/insect feels it has to act quickly to defend itself or die.

The best protection against these critters is a little common sense. Keep your eyes open when you're out in the garden, watch where you put your hands and feet, always wear gloves and shoes, and always shake out shoes and other articles of clothing before you stick parts of your body in them. If the worst happens and you get stung or bitten, seek medical attention or call the Arizona Poison and Drug Information Center (APDIC) at the University of Arizona. The number is 1-800-362-0101 and poison control specialists are there to help 24 hours a day 365 days a year. According to mm APDIC statistics, over 60,000 people contacted the Center in 1995 and more than 70 percent of all calls are taken care of in the home.

Here are a few tips from the experts:

* If you are bitten by a rattlesnake, remain calm, try to keep the bitten area as motionless as possible, and get medical attention as soon as you can. Do not use ice on the bite, apply a tight tourniquet, or take any drugs or alcohol.

* If you are bitten by a black widow spider or Arizona brown spider, call the APDIC. Bites are rarely fatal to healthy adults, but children, the elderly, or people suffering from high blood pressure should seek medical attention immediately.

* If you are stung by a scorpion, call the APDIC or seek medical attention. Scorpion stings are considerably more painful than a bee sting (I can attest to that after a couple of stings) and may cause numbness and tingling in the affected area for several weeks, but they are seldom fatal to healthy adults. As with spider bites, children, the elderly, and people with respiratory problems are at higher risk.