Michael Smith
Leech You take your socks off after a walk in the bush and you notice blood. Your foot and ankle have a number of red circu-lar bites, oozing blood. You have been bitten by leeches. They have sucked your blood and departed. Some might be hiding in your shoe, or still be attached. Much has been written on the best way to make them let go: fire, salt or Rid. Just pull them off, it makes little difference. The bite may be very itchy and bleed for up to 2 weeks. Leeches will attach anywhere on your body and, most likely, you won’t feel a thing. Leeches live in wet places and are most active when the leaves on the ground appear ‘shiny wet’. To avoid leeches, don’t go into the bush when it is really wet. Cover up bare skin. Check yourself all the time. Don’t sit on the ground. Avoid brushing past vegetation. Don’t stand still for long. Apply an insect repellent to your skin. The most important strategy is, before you go into the bush, take your socks off and ap-ply a generous coating of Rid, or other insect repellent (the thickened lotion is best), all over your feet from your toes to mid shin, including between the toes. Put your socks and shoes on and don’t worry after that. You will see leeches gather on your shoe; they will go through the weave of your socks but not bite. They eventu-ally give up in disgust.
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