Leeches

[walkinTas]

Can anyone comment on the effectiveness of soaking shoes (e.g. volleys, not 300$ scarpas!) in salt water for a period of time (few hours/overnight) ?
Have been meaning to do it for a while now, but it's the 2nd half of the experiment I'm not too keen on..

sounds like a great way to rot your stitching to me!

Another old myth was soaking the tops of your socks in metho. Both very dubious. As FF says - bushman's works.

[vagrom]

Great leaping leeches! The ones that get in your eyes probably haven't started from the ground. It's when you stop for a breather, seating yourself somewhere, that they strike! And then there's the one's that attach as you push through the vegetation. But no doubt, the greatest percentage are found, full as googs, inside your gaiters and a couple of hours sloshing through leech infested bog is probably going to reduce considerably the effects of salt, Bushmans or alcohol (Metho).
There's only one thing that works with those varmints and that's Dynamite!
Leeches loiter with intent, and outside as well...

[Macca81]

just back from a failed attempt at federation peak (*&%$#! weather). was walking with 2 other blokes, both of which had 3-4 leaches per day. i got away with 1 for the whole 3 days i still say the best way of avoiding these buggers is to taste crap they still dont like me

[tasadam]

3 or 4 a day, was that Moss Ridge?

[Son of a Beach]

We each got about 1 every 3 or 4 minutes on the Reedy Lake track (Lees Paddocks) on one trip. We did count the total number of leeches and divided by the walking time, but I forget what the total was, unfortunately.

[Cocksy_86]

Try 30-50 leeches when stopping for 2 minutes.

[Macca81]

3 or 4 a day, was that Moss Ridge?

nope, we turned around at moss ridge due to the cloud coming in, so any that jumped on there would have dropped off by the time it got around to checking...

[Leggy]

Content from this thread may be replacing my recurring Jurassic Park nightmares for a while, I think. I started reading it while mucking around at work today and even though I was inside an airconditioned building in the middle of a major city, I had to fight the urge to climb onto the desk and check my shoes. I am suitably punished for my misuse of work bandwidth!

Many's the time I've decided that I'm just not that hungry come lunchtime in Lamington National park. Mind you, it's a great place to take bushwalking newbies, just for the shrieking at the morning tea break

[Liamy77]

i friend of mine swears that eating really HOT curry and garlic stops em a bit...... stops his mates - so it might put em off too?!

[sailfish]

The answer to leeches is to walk solo or be 1st down the track. They sense vibration so make for the track when the 1st person passes. Guess what happens to the others or if you stop. Move along, move along.

Ken

[ollster]

I collect them in sample jars and then release the jars in people's tents. Great fun.

[melvin]

Morning all…. I’m new to Oz and have a phobia…. Of leeches…

Now obviously I shouldn’t have opened the leech thread on here, but curiosity got the better of me and I did.

So being new to Oz and this will be my first time over in Tasmania (we’re camping / sleeping in our jeep)…

I’m wondering, if I’m just walking along normal run of the mill tracks (wine glass bay, cradle mountain etc) am I going to get sucked by these things? Or are the stories on here about people blazing their way through fairly untouched areas of wilderness?

I’ve read up about how to try to deter them, but wanted to know if even on the “tourist tracks” they’re everywhere too?

Thanks!
Melv

[taswegian]

Leeches are no respecters of location and whether its 'off' or 'on' track.
At Cradle expect them anywhere when out and about.
But they are more prevalent in certain areas.
Haven’t been east coast for yonks – someone else will clarify that end.

Not sure what you have read, but they don’t like salt or heat (match flame) and that’s 2 very effective way of removal if you can’t bear the thought of picking them off.
I find best way is not to cut your fingernails too short. They are very good for despatching to greener pastures. (ie decapitating the little blighters)
Just try not to stand around in one place too long and keep a not too apprehensive eye out for them.

[flyfisher]

A quick squirt or a dab with bushman spray or gel will get rid of em quick.

FF

[ILUVSWTAS]

Morning all…. I’m new to Oz and have a phobia…. Of leeches…

Now obviously I shouldn’t have opened the leech thread on here, but curiosity got the better of me and I did.

So being new to Oz and this will be my first time over in Tasmania (we’re camping / sleeping in our jeep)…

I’m wondering, if I’m just walking along normal run of the mill tracks (wine glass bay, cradle mountain etc) am I going to get sucked by these things? Or are the stories on here about people blazing their way through fairly untouched areas of wilderness?

I’ve read up about how to try to deter them, but wanted to know if even on the “tourist tracks” they’re everywhere too?

Thanks!
Melv

Melv, unless your allergic there's really nothing to fear. Ugly blighters, but you really cant even tell when your being bitten by one.
I'd be surprised to find any at Wineglass, but I did get bitten by one on Maria Island recently.

[vagrom]

Trek Back to Bruny's Past. -John Cannon Sunday Tasmanian 23/1/11. [Photo: Fred Koolhof]

" It's reputation as the leech capital of Tasmania keeps the Slides Track from being more popular among the suite of walking tracks on Bruny Island"
["12 kms from Adventure Bay...to Lockleys Road..' (for which) '..four hours would be a very respectable time..."]

Welcome to Adventure Bay !

[paidal_chalne_vala]

I was hiking at Wilson's Prom over the April 21,22,23rd weekend 2012. At Roaring Meg and and on the SOUTH Point track it was LEECH Central. They give me the creeps.
I had a salt shaker, Deet and a lighter at hand. I found that waterproof overpants tucked into gaiters seemed to create a barrier against the tiny terrors.
I was bitten on both ears by Roaring Meg creek while collecting water to drink.
Everybody in the know at the Prom knows Roaring Meg creek is Leech city!!.
It was worse after it rained. It became diabolical.
How do they know I am around? they can't see or hear, these primitive blood sucking freaks !!! . They were falling off bushes, crawling up my ski pants legs and most of all appearing from the soil and hitching a ride on my boots. YUK!!!!!
I can cope with snakes, spiders & all sort of freaky creepy crawlies but Leeches make me a a nervous nancy boy!!!
I was happy to pack up camp and hike to camp at Oberon bay which was leech free and low on creepy crawlies in general.

[Bluegum Mic]

Im going to give the knee high stockings a go this weekend under my gaiters (yes Im a girl so I won't look too out of place). They usually don't bother me but I've had one a week now recently including one (that Im glad I never got to see its size) but the whole of the inside of my boot is stained red, the soxs had to be thrown and three weeks later I've still got a hole in my leg. It took a day to stop bleeding and created an intense bruise around it due to the lack of coagulation. That thing wasn't a leech it was a vampire There's a few guys in my bushwalking club that swear by them as they react badly to leeches.

[dplanet]

. It took a day to stop bleeding and created an intense bruise around it due to the lack of coagulation. That thing wasn't a leech it was a vampire There's a few guys in my bushwalking club that swear by them as they react badly to leeches.

Me too. I found Fexal anti-histamine tablets are quite good at fighting against the itch.

[ncharlier]

I was all freaked out about leeches--ended up getting only 2 tiny ones coming around
Dove Lake. A lady in the cafe at the Cradle Mtn visitor centre almost shrieked--'You've got a leech dearie!' and pulled it off. Later, I found one between my toes, popped it off. I was lucky--not a bit of itch, just a funny-looking hickey on my neck. Still, I found myself checking for them for days after...

[tasadam]

Still, I found myself checking for them for days after...

You freakin need to as well, they hide almost invisible & last alive for ages!

[TerraMer]

Try 30-50 leeches when stopping for 2 minutes.

Sounds like Annapurna in wet season.

Averaged 20 odd each hour. The group of locals I went on pilgrimage with shared around a sack of salt we rubbed over our legs, arms, bellies, necks, etc each time we stopped for a breather.
I ended up with a massive lump about 6cm diameter where the most leeches latched on over the 10 day trek.

Bushmans insect repellent works so long as it doesn't wash off walking through creeks and swamp. Spray it generously over your boots, socks and trouser legs. (also good to keep tics off clothing)

[Pteropus]

Can leeches be used to track down the presence of rare animals...possibly even the Thylacine? Well leeches are already being used to find the presence of cryptic species! -> http://news.mongabay.com/2012/0430-hanc ... -DNA.html#

[MrWalker]

Can leeches be used to track down the presence of rare animals...possibly even the Thylacine? Well leeches are already being used to find the presence of cryptic species! -> http://news.mongabay.com/2012/0430-hanc ... -DNA.html#

I'd noticed that report and wondered about using leeches to test for Thylacine DNA. The advantage of using leeches would be that you can use the same sample to simultaneously test for the presence of any other animals including foxes or cats. We should set up leech collection points at all the main huts so people could just drop off their leeches in a jar that would be collected at regular intervals for testing.

[Pteropus]

Can leeches be used to track down the presence of rare animals...possibly even the Thylacine? Well leeches are already being used to find the presence of cryptic species! -> http://news.mongabay.com/2012/0430-hanc ... -DNA.html#

I'd noticed that report and wondered about using leeches to test for Thylacine DNA. The advantage of using leeches would be that you can use the same sample to simultaneously test for the presence of any other animals including foxes or cats. We should set up leech collection points at all the main huts so people could just drop off their leeches in a jar that would be collected at regular intervals for testing.

If people brought the leeches in, it would be difficult to tell where they came from. Best to send vollies to collect leeches in situ. I can imagine the methodology section on the paper: "Leech collection was conducted by professional bushwalkers who sat down for one hour at random locations. Leeches were then extracted from the limbs of the collectors. Coordinates of each location were recorded and leeches were placed in a jar."

[MrWalker]

If people brought the leeches in, it would be difficult to tell where they came from. Best to send vollies to collect leeches in situ.

If anyone detected Thylacine DNA it would be better alll round if no-one knew where the sample came from. If the coordinates were recorded we would have thousands of people there within days. It would be much better to be as vague as possible about the location.

[Pteropus]

If people brought the leeches in, it would be difficult to tell where they came from. Best to send vollies to collect leeches in situ.

If anyone detected Thylacine DNA it would be better alll round if no-one knew where the sample came from. If the coordinates were recorded we would have thousands of people there within days. It would be much better to be as vague as possible about the location.

I think if such research were conducted in Tasmania they would want to know where the leeches were found. And I think they would have more luck tagging fox DNA from leeches than Thylacine. But it would be an interesting study for some researcher, to go into the wilderness and collect leeches. Fieldwork is the fun part of ecology/biology! And collecting leeches is not hard in my experience...I might do that this weekend. I won’t be bringing them home though...

[Billy27]

Doing frog research around Springbrook, Lamington and Numinbah Valley......2 leeches on the same eye in one night and another night thought i had a blocked nose.....went to do a bushy and a fat leech came flying out along with alot of blood haha.....besides that theyre not too bad

[mikethepike]

There are certainly some horror stories in this thread and my question is: How did bushwalkers get on decades ago before the advent of modern tents with secure zips to seal the inner tent from leeches? I seem to recall that the best makes and models of A-frame tents could be zipped to keep out mozzies and leeches but a lot of walkers presumably used cheaper tents without such a refinement. I’m interested in this because I am about to walk on the Central Plateau with a singles tent with a broken zip (1.75 m long and no time to secure a replacement). I would never take such a thing in well known leechy places (Pt Davey Track during rainy days and no-one to share them with is my worse leech experience) but so far I have not encountered a leech on the Plateau (mainly north of Great Pine Tier) though the weather has been generally dry on the four trips I’ve done there. Are leeches more common south of the GP Tier in the lake country around Mtns of Jupiter etc on the way to Derwent Bridge and east of the Traveller Range? Also, given my tent situation, can leeches be a problem on the Mt Anne Circuit? I do have a heavier single tent which I will take if leeches are likely to be a concern. Any comments will be most welcome.

[north-north-west]

Any comments will be most welcome.

Prepare to suffer, baby.

If there's mud, there will be leeches, although the South West does seem to have a higher population. Or maybe they're just hungrier down there . . .