Leeches

[corvus]

Steve73,
Yes there is a possibility that you will encounter Leeches on the OLT especially in the wetter areas like Frog Flats.

[olblackbilly]

how long is a piece of string...?

[prankphonecall]

how long is a piece of string...?

double the length from one end to the middle!

[tasadam]

Leeches are not that big a deal if you know how to deal with them.

1. Protection.
DEET. Bushmans Deet, available from Allgoods and just about every bushwalking supply shop you go in to.
It is available in a lime green tube, which will be enough for the average Overland crossing or similar.
I smear it on my boots, gaiters, legs and ankles, waist (drop the trousers and get the midriffs but don't put it on your scrotum because it stings), neck, arms and hands, and clean your hands off by wiping your hair. It's also available as a spray-on, but that is only 20% active ingredient whereas the tube is 80%

2. Protection, part 2.
Plastic pants. Unless it is hot, I nearly always walk with them on. Rubber bands around the base to discourage climbing under. I say discourage because this won't stop em.
Leeches are fairly easy to spot climbing up your plastic pants.
At Lake Ayr, I recently crouched on my knees to take a photo. Less than 30 seconds then I stood up and had 8 leeches on the outer side of my left leg, all going flat out heading north toward me.
So...

3. Dealing with.
They don't bite like wasps or ants - I do not know how long it takes for them to get through the skin and don't really want to. But I have never had a problem just pinching them off my clothes / boots / whatever and then flicking them. The bigger ones had their back end suction working well on my plastic pants, so pulling them off was a bit difficult, like stretching a rubber band to some extent. Once you have them in one hand, just keep flicking, they go flying fairly quickly.
Note - it is considdered bad ettiquite and totally inappropriate to flick a leech at a fellow walker, even if you do not like them.
When walking in leech-prone areas it doesn't hurt to keep an eye out now and then - stop and give your mates a look over, and get them to do the same for you.

4. Getting bit.
It is likely to happen one day. A bit worse than a mozzie. You don't generally feel it when it happens - usually the first you know about it is you see blood and realize it is yours.
If you find it biting you, the scrape-with-fingernail method already explained sounds the go - I used to carry salt but don't bother any more.
If you are worried about infection, a bit of Betadine ointment from the first aid kit under a band-aid or elastoplast strip will help.
And the best advice I can offer - Don't scratch. You won't be able to heed this advice, but try. Scratching only irritates the bite by upsetting the skin on the bite and spreading the stuff they inject around more, thus making it itchier. Covering the bite site may assist in deterring you from scratching.
Sometimes you are left with a scar. Most of the time, a week passes and you forgot you had it, no trace.

So in short, it's no big deal. Better not to get bit, and a fairly easy critter to deal with, the slimy so-and-so's, but nothing to be afraid of.

[tasadam]

On the OLT, sticking to the track and keep moving, and you are unlucky if you pick up a leech, but it can happen. Getting off track at places like Frog Flats or the scrub around the Thetis track and you are almost definitely going to get one climbing on you. Getting in amongst the buttongrass at Frog Flats and you WILL see them on you. Big ones, too! Recently had to stop for a second coating of Deet.
I have never seen them in snow.
When you stop and sit for a rest, don't sit on buttongrass, and keep an eye out. Check yourself now and then, and when you get up. Check your pack too - an easy short-cut for them to get to your head and other upper-body areas. Often I have put my pack down, and when I have picked it up again I have had to remove leeches from it.
Something I have never done but it could work - before going, give the pack a spray cover of DEET. Might help, but only if they really freak you as this usually won't be necessary if you are diligent enough to check your pack when you pick it up - and don't go dumping it off in the bushes when you stop.

[corvus]

Just to freak you out I still have a leech scab (active)on my leg since our trip up Moses Creek to Junction in mid Jan this year(it was only a small one too) as you can see some Leech bites for me personally can last for months
c

Just to freak you out I still have a leech scab (active)on my leg since our trip up Moses Creek to Junction in mid Jan this year(it was only a small one too) as you can see some Leech bites for me personally can last for months
c

You're enjoying this Corvus. You're a ghoul....

[flyfisher]

Well I've got 6 or 8 new bites from the weekend stroll onto Cathedral Plateau and back down to Wadleys .Don't think those little *%^&$@#@#'s will get on the endangered list in the near future.
FF

[roseart]

Leeches - what horrible little blood sucking creatures.
Has anyone seen the picture of the King ( or is it tiger) Leech in the Lees Paddock Hut?
There is a picture of a giant leech - it looks to be about as fat as your finger and nearly as long.
Is this thing for real? if so - has anyone seen one?
It looks like you could lose a finger in one bite. Roseart

[gorby]

the photo on the wall of lees hut was taken by me several years ago and it was being held by my young son which makes it look bigger.we have just returned from there today and encountered them everywhere we stopped.a spray of aeroguard around the boots and gaiters kept most from getting to the legs.

[johnw]

I have 2 bites on my right lower leg following a bush regeneration field trip on Saturday in the Blue Mtns. We were working in an upland swamp, where you sank over your boot tops if standing still for more than a few seconds. They leeches were attacking everyone. I felt the itching start when one was still attached (unusual). Currently finding it difficult to follow my own advice of not scratching.

[wobbly]

So I'm standing on a fallen tree in the Never Never last week watching my mates pull leeches off themselves. I'm feeling pretty relaxed as the buggers have mostly left me alone. Then I notice something in my mouth! arrrgh

Last edited by wobbly on Fri 10 Apr, 2009 10:46 am, edited 1 time in total.

We should hold a most revolting leech story comp LOL

[tasadam]

I heard of a lady parks staff member from St Clair, who got a leech at the Never Never, behind her eyeball.
I have heard of a guy who had a leech get into his trousers, and found its way into a hole that is usually reserved for the outflow of liquid. He was walking with only female companions at the time.
I try not to think of those stories, but it concerns me enough to be liberal with DEET around certain locations.

[flyfisher]

We could hold a leech story comp but Tasadam sure has a head start with those two little beauties.
FF

[Crum]

We went from the Cradle end of the Penguin Cradle trail yesterday to the Fourways and I have never seen so many leeches in my life. This is actually the first time we've ever had any trouble with them. I honestly thought my boots and socks were alive a couple of times

I've got some pretty yucky tick stories, but nothing too grotesque with leeches. Yet.

[prankphonecall]

Just did a walk up on the sunshine coast in QLD, we had 150mm of rain fall during the walk. We stopped a few K in at a lookout and i stopped counting leeches at 50, and we still had 10km left to walk. We ended up just letting them have their fun and the got rid of the persistant ones at the end of the walk. The itching has stopped now, stinggose helped with stopping the irritation, but i got off lightly as i had boots and long pants, those in wearing shorts, joggers and ankle socks fared alot worse...

Lovely.

Oh dear

http://au.news.yahoo.com/a/-/latest/551 ... omans-eye/

[kramster]

Nice huh!
I remember reading of a similar experience in a Wild magazine a few years back - about a bloke who had this special experience while walking on the Southern Ranges I think.

Anyway, given the saline-solution option - for those who wear contact-lenses, the usual all-in-one cleaning solution would be a good remedy (for eye, and non-eye attached "limpets"), also many people carry saline for wound irrigation in their first-aid-kits (or they should anyway).

[Macca81]

doing the SW cape walk the week after easter, saw no leeches except for one stretch of track just west of new harbour. no bites during the walk. stayed at new harbour on the way back and they were EVERYWHERE! one bloke in the party got up to relive himself and in the 2 mins he was outa his tent he found 8! on his hand... luckily that was the only spot considering where he had his hand only moments b4...

personaly, i had about 5 bites, suffered no bleeding or itchyness. never have suffered either, whether i remove them or let them have there fill.

[tasadam]

Dammit that's too close for comfort - I'd be having a real good look. That's not the critter I want sucking, er, I'll stop here...

[corvus]

You do realise that with vigilance you can combat the little suckers ,rule one dont wear black gaiters rule two apply 80% deet insecticide to knees and ankles and Gaiters, rule three do the buddy check ,rule four check your pack b4 you put it back on.
Simple yet effective IMHO
c

[Macca81]

You do realise that with vigilance you can combat the little suckers ,rule one dont wear black gaiters rule two apply 80% deet insecticide to knees and ankles and Gaiters, rule three do the buddy check ,rule four check your pack b4 you put it back on.
Simple yet effective IMHO
c

rule 5, have a body that doesnt itch or bleed from leech bites

[corvus]

RUANALIAN

[Area54]

First post (yippee) had an encounter on the weekend on a local trail, I'm stumped how I got bit. Had tight weave bulky socks and well fitting boots. Also had gaiters on with shorts but of course knew the limitations of protection here and no bushmans on (stupid left it at camp). Anyways, back at camp did the casual check and saw a smear of blood on the sock on the top of my foot under the tongue of the boot, but no leech body and no bleeding attachment point. Hmmm. Then noticed the bloodpatch between the second and the big toe, yet no squashed leech in the sock or on the foot. Okay, pulled out the inner sole to check for blood trail, found the leech (only a little one about the size of a fingernail) happily rolling around on the inner sole. Trail was leech country, but camp was very dry, mown grass and very open - so even if he managed to hide out in the boot how did he survive the very cramped confines of the boot, then get me through the sock (remember bite was between the toes right on the side of the second toe, not easily accessed) then withdraw when full into the boot cavity? Perhaps those learned in leech activity could enlighten me...

[dee_legg]

Tasadam- Thats a loooooooooooot of deet. The 80% cream is potent stuff... I've read research reports of studies showing deet in the blood stream of adults within 6 hours of application.

[Son of a Beach]

I've had a leech stick its head (if the have a head) right through explorer socks and bite and suck such that it's body outside of the sock filled with blood, and it could have then just withdrew its head back through the sock and escaped (if I hadn't found it first). Nasty little blighters, and their capabilities are truly amazing.

[Macca81]

RUANALIAN

yep