Leeches

[roopass]

Is it true , spraying insect repellent on yr boots will keep leeches off ?

[Giddy_up]

Yes, bushman works very well.


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[MickyB]

Yes, bushman works very well

That might stop them from attaching themselves onto your legs near your boots but does that stop them dropping from foliage onto your arms, face and neck though?

[Xplora]

Yes, bushman works very well

That might stop them from attaching themselves onto your legs near your boots but does that stop them dropping from foliage onto your arms, face and neck though?

If you put it on your arms, face and neck then yes but I think Bushman contains DEET and personally I would use another repellent. All repellents will work. Also do not spray your tent with DEET as it will destroy the waterproofing.

[MickyB]

Yes, bushman works very well

That might stop them from attaching themselves onto your legs near your boots but does that stop them dropping from foliage onto your arms, face and neck though?

If you put it on your arms, face and neck then yes but I think Bushman contains DEET and personally I would use another repellent. All repellents will work. Also do not spray your tent with DEET as it will destroy the waterproofing.

That's what I thought Xplora. OPs question was just onto boots.

[Giddy_up]

Leeches don't like DEET but your waterproof membranes also don't. Jacket, pants, or tent so it comes with that caveat.

Also as MickyB has said if you have them getting on you from foliage or falling from lofty arboreal vantage points it's very hard to remain free of them.

I cringe when I see thousands of them standing up like sentinels, searching for my CO2 signal to send them marching towards me.


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[Gadgetgeek]

anyone got any good tips for stopping the bleeding and itching that follows?

[Giddy_up]

There are three types of leeches. One has teeth, one had a proboscis and the last has no teeth or proboscis and swallows its prey whole. Land leeches have teeth, your aquatic leeches have the proboscis and I never want to meet the last variety ever [WINKING FACE]


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[MickyB]

anyone got any good tips for stopping the bleeding and itching that follows?

I have never tried it but I have heard honey stops the itching.

[roopass]

Thanks guys, apparently where I'm camping this week is leech country, especially if ground is wet!

[north-north-west]

anyone got any good tips for stopping the bleeding and itching that follows?

Ice.
Will soothe any sort of insect bite or sting. And spider bites. Not really practical during an overnight walk of course, but even cold water helps.

[Champion_Munch]

Recently had an episode of leech attack in Tassie on a 10 day trip - not sure if they are different to the ones in QLD, but these bites wouldn't stop bleeding! Smother the bites with bandaids and they just leak through. I ended up having to wrap my ankle/leg with a large bandage many times over to stop the blood from getting into all my sleeping gear.

[RonK]

anyone got any good tips for stopping the bleeding and itching that follows?

Get a styptic pencil from your pharmacy. While you are there, get some Paraderm Plus or similar antiseptic cream which contains an anesthetic.

[flyfisher]

Recently had an episode of leech attack in Tassie on a 10 day trip - not sure if they are different to the ones in QLD, but these bites wouldn't stop bleeding! Smother the bites with bandaids and they just leak through. I ended up having to wrap my ankle/leg with a large bandage many times over to stop the blood from getting into all my sleeping gear.
[/quote]
What method did you use to remove the leeches? Pulling them off will cause prolonged bleeding due to the teeth remaining in the bite.

FF

[South_Aussie_Hiker]

Munch,

If you remove leeches in Tas using physical force, the anticoagulant they inject with a bite means it will continue to bleed for ages.

If you remove them with salt (or just leave them and let them fill up) they will let go of their own accord - and the bleeding stops pretty quick.

[oyster_07]

... the anticoagulant they inject with a bite means it will continue to bleed for ages.

Taking a slight tangent, most deodorants contain silver nitrate, thus making them a very effective coagulant.

[Champion_Munch]

What method did you use to remove the leeches? Pulling them off will cause prolonged bleeding due to the teeth remaining in the bite.

Didn't notice the leeches until the end of a very long 11.5 hour day, apparently half a dozen had snuck in under my gaiters on one leg. By the time I took them off the leeches had already long detached. Actually had no idea there WAS leeches in Tassie, we're used to picking them off by the handful in QLD but they don't seem to make me bleed so badly.

[Tortoise]

I tried putting repellent with DEET on my hiking shoes. Not sure if that contributed to the disintegration of some of the stitching within 4 days. Could have just been SW Tassie acidic soils and dodgy thread.

Since I've become somewhat allergic to leech bites, I've always tucked my long pants into my socks. I've had plenty of leeches under my gaiters/on my shoes that haven't attached yet, and NONE have found their way through. Mind you, with the dry here in Tassie, I haven't seen many leeches for a while. (I also wear a light weight long sleeve shirt to avoid using sunscreen, and for protection vs scrub.) Have had a few leeches on my hands, one on my lip.

That might stop them from attaching themselves onto your legs near your boots but does that stop them dropping from foliage onto your arms, face and neck though?

I've mainly had the upper body issue in northern NSW and Qld rainforests. Oh, and Donna Buang, which rivalled Lamington Nt Pk for the most leeches per square cm that I've ever seen. I put some repellant around my neck for that, with moderate but not complete success.

I've tried most things to remove them, but have settled for the fingernail to break the seal. I've found no prolific bleeding that way.

Re itching - +1 for the paraderm plus or equivalent. Used to work for me. With the allergy, I added phenergan, but with a 10cm weal, and insane itching for a month, I've resorted to occasional use of oral steroid (25mg for one or 2 days). Hopefully you won't ever need that! If I'm back home, ice packs help.

[MickyB]

Since I've become somewhat allergic to leech bites, I've always tucked my long pants into my socks. I've had plenty of leeches under my gaiters/on my shoes that haven't attached yet, and NONE have found their way through.

I wear Skins (compression pants) under my shorts and have never had issues with leeches on my legs.

[Gadgetgeek]

The one I had bled enough to pretty much wet a bandaid right off. I did the gentle pull technique, and it let go. I'll try salt next time. but a styptic pencil is on the list now.

My understanding was that the anti-coagulant went in regardless, so removal was more about not ripping them apart. But I'm also far more familiar with canadian aquatic leaches, not these dry land chasing type.

[Xplora]

Alcohol hand wash gets them off quick too.

[fairman]

Having worked as a forest ecologist for nearly a decade, I've gotten very philosophical about leeches - sure, they're creepy and crawly, but don't cause that much harm (compared to ticks - which are nasty, nasty creatures) and if one happens to attach to a non-vital area, it's best to let them run their course and you won't suffer any issues associated with ripping them off and having the constant bleeding.

You've got to admire them in a way - hanging around in the understory for all that time, waiting for probably a month for a big sack of blood to walk by. They're playing the long-game. Humans could probably learn a thing or two...

In terms of prevention - for my legs my trick is to wear soccer socks up to my knees, long pants over the top, then knee high gaitors. I am yet to meet a leech that can get through that shield. As for my upper body - can't do much there.

[north-north-west]

Having worked as a forest ecologist for nearly a decade, I've gotten very philosophical about leeches - sure, they're creepy and crawly, but don't cause that much harm (compared to ticks - which are nasty, nasty creatures)...

Similar here. Leeches aren't a long term threat to health unless - like Tortoise - you're allergic. But ticks really suck!