Caleb Stephens '23
Technology Editor
Why would I ever be attacked by a leech? Is this something to do with medicinal leeches? Do leeches hurt? All of these are questions I frequently hear whenever leeches come up in common conversation.
Much like a cold call, you never expect to find a leech.[1] It just kind of happens. I’ve had to deal with a lot of leeches over time, and it is something to which you can grow more accustomed. Honestly, I far prefer leeches over redbugs, ticks, or fleas (all semi-common occurrences if you live in the woods and have outdoor dogs). Leeches are easier to spot, less frequently in unfortunate locations, less likely to give you a disease, and much simpler to remove. You’re also far less likely to get a leech if you don’t go in water (although I hear there are land-dwelling leeches in some places, I’ve never experienced those, since I haven’t spent much time in jungle environments).
As a native North Floridian, I have had my share of time in the swamps, and I’ve had many encounters with leeches. Fortunately, most of the encounters were with baby leeches, which are only noticeable when you exit the water and see them. I’ve had a few full-size leeches too, and, while they hurt more (you’ll actually notice when they latch on, unlike the tiny ones), they’re still pretty easy to deal with. As temporary Virginians, most of you probably won’t have to deal with leeches, as I’ve never encountered one in mountain water. While they do live in Virginia, the existence of leeches should not deter you from entering nice cold mountain streams, as leeches tend to be relatively harmless denizens of the swamp.
If you do encounter a leech, the most important thing to remember is how to remove a leech once attached. You may think you know how to remove a leech, particularly if you’ve seen The African Queen.[2]However, unfortunately, the common knowledge is completely wrong. You absolutely do not apply salt, lemon, or heat. As much as applying any of those to a leech and watching it drop off, writhing in pain, sounds incredibly cool, it is not. If you try to stress a leech, they will throw up back into, well, you.[3] And the last thing you want is the entire contents of a leech’s stomach emptied into your bloodstream. This is the easiest way to accidentally wind up with an infection from a leech.[4] For a leech, you should remove it by taking something hard and flat, like a knife blade, credit card, or your fingernail, and gently scraping up under the small end of the leech. It will detach from your skin, and then reattach after a second. You then want to scrape under the large end of the leech, grab it, pull it the rest of the way off (the small end will not have finished adhering properly), and dispose of it.[5] This will keep a leech from vomiting into you and end your encounter with a leech.
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cs8ws@virginia.edu
[1] Or the Spanish Inquisition
[2] Humphrey Bogart, Katharine Hepburn, and WWI Africa. Well worth a watch.
[3] https://www.cbc.ca/news/science/bloodsuckers-1.5361074
[4] This also applies to ticks, incidentally. Don’t try to burn them off.
[5] Or keep it, if that’s what you’re into. I hear you can get good prices for freshwater leeches in the herbal remedies market, but I take no responsibility for the legal ramifications of trying to sell a wild-caught leech.