Leechy Leech
Bushwalkers beware. Or that is, novice bushwalkers. Experienced ones are totally aware.
A fate worse than death awaits you.
Well, a bit of discomfit and creepiness awaits you.
Heavy rain and tropical temperatures have brought out the walker's enemy - the humble leech or
R. australis
. The blood-sucking animal variety.
Leeches have had an ignoble history. They've been worshipped as much as they've been despised. For hundreds of years doctors used them to suck the "bad" blood out of patients, and to try to cure everything from insomnia to cancer. Today they're back in fashion with some of the medical fraternity - who are using them to help with everything from microsurgery to plastic surgery.
But that doesn't help those of us who just want to go for a walk in the rain without having our appendages covered in the little blighters getting fat on our blood.
So here's a few tips:
If you're in a group walk at the front. It will only dawn on the leeches after you have passed that prey awaits and the second, third and fourth walker will only be attacked.
Don't walk barefoot. You're asking for trouble as my son and his friends discovered on a recent hike on the NSW South Coast. Their feet were totally covered in leeches within a few minutes.
Wear Rid (or some such similar insect repellant). Smother your legs in it.You can also use it to get the blighters off. Salt also works wonders. And boots aren't a bad idea either as a prevention although they're sure to crawl inside.
I've heard there's such a miraculous thing as socks that stop leeches as well although I haven't found them anywhere.
And then ofcourse smoking bushwalkers get it easy. They just have to put their cigarette near the slimy animal and it's gone. For once, smokers are popular with non-smokers.
If all else fails, throw the Tea Tree oil on later to stop the itching.
Have a great bushwalk!