Leeches in the mountains!

[Vern]

Hi,

I did the Castle Head abseil trip and walked out to Ruined Castle the other day and it was swarming with leeches! I've never had a leech on the ruined castle track before but this wet weather has really bought them out.

I was lucky enough to have some thick doubled up socks tucked into my trousers (A great look) that kept most of them at bay. My offsider was not so lucky with up to 5 leech bites on one ankle.

Just letting everyone know in case you were planning a trip in this wet weather with someone who freaks at the sight of them.

[michael_p]

A month or two back back we did the Sassafrass Gully walk at Springwood and some sections of the walk were swarming with leeches. We sprayed our legs and shoes with insect repellent etc, but every time we walked through the overflowing creeks anything we had applied just washed off. The only way to try and avoid them was to walk as fast as we could through the swarms and then stop to clear our legs of any hangers-on.

They do seem to be out in force with all this rain.

Cheers,
Michael.

[oyster_07]

A good defence against leeches is to wear stockings underneath socks and pants. Yup, I mean the pantyhose variety.

[Webguy]

A good defence against leeches is to wear stockings underneath socks and pants. Yup, I mean the pantyhose variety.

Yup, have heard this before, I look great in the suspender belt I have for mine

[gayet]

No suspender belt needed with pantyhose and if you were going the stockings route, the suspender belt would leave you a bit exposed in the tender spots!

[ninjapuppet]

Yeh we did the solitary traverse on saturday, and I must say, never seen so many leeches in my life! Despite 80% DEET, all 8 of us got bitten except me. Skins and 2xu compression tights, and a fast pace worked for me. I still found 20 leeches in my shoe at the end when I took it off but zero bites:)


Totally concentrated around kedumba river and golden stairs. There was a dead washed up wombat by the river crossing.

[Vern]

Never seen stockings in the outdoor shops...maybe there's a market? I mean I'd probably buy some if they weren't called stockings or pantyhose.
Maybe call them leech armour or something hard core? Because I'm sure if I turn up to my next hike with stockings on there'll be some explaining to do!

[Lindsay]

I am taking my son on the Mount Solitary traverse in a couple of weeks. Thanks for the heads up! (I will tell him that a leech bite or two is character building )

[Webguy]

Unless you are of course allergic like I found out after receiving a bite doing a canyon and then that night could not walk and had to get a taxi to hospital. Now days, I try not to be bitten. Though of course it could have been something in the water, the leech, who knows, I don't take any chances now.

[ninjapuppet]

So the real trick to getting them off, is to not let them vomit their parasitic guts into your bloodstream, or leave their munchkin jaws behind when you pull them off.

My mate just rolls them into a piece of booga *&%$#! and flick them as such, or flick them at the teeth. I was taught to place your fingernails beside them and slide them horizontally across. However what we found was that as you stopped to remove 1 or 2, you would end up with more latched onto you than you flicked off.

Makes more sense to to wear covered /sealed clothing and just keep walking.

[michael_p]

A good defence against leeches is to wear stockings underneath socks and pants. Yup, I mean the pantyhose variety.

Guy I know did the Kokoda Track in stockings. Got seriously paid out on by his mates but it worked, not one leech got attached during the whole walk.

[ILUVSWTAS]

LEECHES??? Oh no! Thats it im giving up walking....

Just be first in your group. Did a walk with Ollster last week, I was first. We got back to the car and I had one leech to his fifteen!! Person in front usuall arouses them and alerts them to the approaching people in the rear....

[johnw]

Hard to imagine leeches up around the Ruined Castle. Down in the forest, yes. The leeches themselves don't irk me too much but I'm slightly allergic to their bites.
They can itch/swell intensely for more than a week afterwards. I've had some success with applying Bushman (DEET) beforehand but don't always remember to do it.
Walking fast through leech-prone areas can sometimes help - but isn't always practical or safe.

[FatCanyoner]

The junction with the Golden Stairs is a leech hot-spot at the best of times. I've always assumed they congregate in places where lots of tourists pause to catch their breath. Based on that theory I'd expect another good sized colony at the base of the Ruined Castle, and with this wet summer another collection up on top doesn't sound surprising either.
Funnily enough, in about 15 days of canyoning over the last couple months I can't recall a single leech bite. I guess that confirms my theory that they prefer spots that are more popular with people.

[Rob A]

My guess is you are probably right about them breeding up over time at a food source. I cant recall ever having a leech bite at either of those places, probably because I havent been there in over twenty years and one was always on the hoof at those spots.

[tom_brennan]

Leech concentration is also geological. They're much more prevalent in the basalt country (eg Mt Tomah, Mt Wilson), the Illawarra Coal Measure (eg anywhere along the track between the bottom of the Golden Stairs and the Ruined Castle), or the basement rocks (eg Kedumba River). Despite how wet the canyons are, it's surprisingly rare to find them, since the canyons are in the Narrabeen Group (mostly sandstone).

[puredingo]

I live under the Illawarra escapment and i can tell you first hand this place is leech central....I reckon i would of had a full blood transfusion over the last 2 years!

[michael_p]

I live under the Illawarra escapment and i can tell you first hand this place is leech central....I reckon i would of had a full blood transfusion over the last 2 years!

Worst leech infestation I have ever seen was along the Forest Track. 100s and 100s of the them all the way along. We had to stop every ten minutes and inspect our boots, legs and in our shorts/pants.

Some friends of mine did a walk around Mt Keira and then spent 1/2 hour getting rid of the ticks and leeches. Makes me shudder.

[jackhinde]

i concur with the puredingo illawarra assessment, when i lived in austinmer they used to come into our house... you could get a leech making tea in the kitchen.

[Lindsay]

Did the Mt solitary traverse with my son last weekend, and the leeches were out in swarms. Our boots and gaiters were covered but coupled with a liberal application of Bushmans most of them remained outside our clothing. Just past the Golden Stairs we met a couple who had a young child who was rather distressed by leech bites. The mother asked if we had anything that would help. I offered a few squirts of Bushmans and suggested applying something like stop itch when they got home. They were very appreciative. It was a good, if damp trip. Both Christophers boots gave out and were repaired with cable ties, duct tape and bandages. The Kedumba river was flowing deep and fast and the crossing was a little tricky. An interesting return to bushwalking for a boy who has not walked since leaving scouts about 8 years ago. I told him it was character building. He must agree as he is keen to go again.

[davidmorr]

The most effective method I have found for preventing leech bites is to put repellent on your feet and legs before you put your socks on. No matter how they get in, they won't touch the skin.

And for leech heaven, I would suggest a section of the Great North Walk between Somersby shop and the Ourimbah Creek Valley. Walking through there one day, a big mossy rock looked like it had hair on it. It was hundreds of tiny, thin leeches. As I walked past, the heads of the leeches would swing around and follow me.....

[Greenie]

What is a something good to stop the itch if you do get bitten? I haven't done that section of the GNW, I might avoid it for a while!

[wildwalks]

What is a something good to stop the itch if you do get bitten?

I have not tried it myself but I have heard people swear by these little plastic gadgets with a piezo crystal in it (like the BBQ starters). It give you a "mild electric shock" right on the bite site. Apparently works a charm on all itchy bites. Never tried it though. I find it is the itchiness the next day that is the worst with the Leeches.
like these (http://www.cleverandeasy.com/Travel/mos ... -away.html) - not a plug or an endorsement - never tried, but it is the only thing I have heard people say was effective.

I haven't done that section of the GNW, I might avoid it for a while!

I reckon the Benowie track section is worse for leeches. - But who ever let a friendly blood sucking worm get in the way of a good walk.

Matt

[puredingo]

I want to know just where in the food chain the leech stands...What eats it? It must have a purpose other than just to annoy and leave blood stains on socks.

[wildwalks]

What eats it?

Other than Bear Grylls - "Fish, Birds other invertebrates" (according to Australian Museum) - I had the same question

Matt

[corvus]

Ants eat leeches and any other thing that is or was food,actually felt sorry for a leech I observed at Pelion Gap a few years ago that was being eaten alive by ants
corvus

[puredingo]

Well whatever eats them they are in no danger of ever going hungry...there's millions of the mongrels around here, I just pulled one out of my dogs eye!!

[skibug]

Have just completed (March 12) a Grose River circuit (Govett's Leap/Acacia Flat/Grose River/Burra Korain/Victoria Falls) with a group of fourteen, was AMAZED that there were so few leeches - it was warm, humid, several days after heavy rain, the creeks were full - and yet the whole group probably saw less than a dozen over three days! I couldn't believe it. Where were they? I've camped at Acacia 7 or 8 years ago and the place was swarming with leeches. Any ideas where they have gone for their holidays?

I must say, though, the mosquitos at Acacia (no where else) were as bad as I've ever seen, - you couldn't sit outside for any length of time at dusk, we had to retreat to the tent pretty early!

On another note, walking through the Blue Gum Forest is as fantastic as ever - but where are the blue gum saplings? The understory is now so choked with both native and non-native, I can't imagine any sapling getting a start on life. Is this an issue other people are aware of? Do National Parks need to be planting? All thoughts and comments welcomed.

skibug

[icemancometh]

Yep BlueGum turns into the Twilight Zone after dark...coverup!

[Bluegum Mic]

Look!! Just cause I get a little nutty after dark doesn't mean you have to cover up