Leeches are common in wet forests across eastern and southern Australia. They are unpleasant and often startling, but rarely dangerous. Most land leech bites result in minor bleeding and irritation rather than serious medical harm. The key is calm removal, simple wound care and sensible hygiene.
Understanding their habitat and behaviour reduces anxiety and prevents unnecessary complications.
What are leeches?
Leeches are segmented worms in the subclass Hirudinea. They are not insects and not arthropods. They are annelids.
Australian land leeches attach using two suckers. The narrower, slimmer end is the head and contains the mouth. The thicker end is the rear sucker, which acts as an anchor. When attached, the head is the biting end embedded in the skin, while the rear sucker stabilises the body. Knowing which end is which prevents fumbling when removing one.
Leeches detect vibration, warmth and carbon dioxide. Walking through damp leaf litter or low vegetation increases contact. They do not jump and they do not burrow under skin.
Where you are likely to encounter them
Land leeches are common in:
- Wet sclerophyll forest
- Rainforest
- Shaded gullies and seepage zones
- Dense, damp understory
They are absent from permanently arid regions and uncommon in dry open woodland. After rainfall, activity increases. During dry periods, some species retreat into soil and leaf litter and can remain dormant until moisture returns. If you are hiking in Tasmania, the Otways, coastal New South Wales or damp Victorian forests after rain, expect leeches.
Expectation reduces shock.
Are leeches dangerous?
In almost all cases, no.
Leeches secrete an anticoagulant called hirudin. This prevents clotting and causes the bite site to bleed after detachment. The bleeding can look dramatic, particularly when mixed with sweat or rainwater on socks. In reality, the volume of blood lost is typically comparable to a small paper cut.
Bleeding may ooze for several hours. This is inconvenient but rarely medically significant. Complications are uncommon but may include local irritation, mild allergic reaction or secondary infection if the wound is contaminated.
There is no strong evidence that Australian land leeches transmit disease to humans. The primary risk is poor removal technique.
How to avoid leeches
Avoidance is about exposure reduction, not elimination.
Long pants and high socks reduce access to lower legs. Light-coloured fabrics make detection easier. Gaiters provide additional protection in dense, wet environments.
Lunch breaks in leech-prone areas are ideal times for inspection. Shake out gaiters. Check inside the top of socks. Inspect behind knees and along boot lines. Use a buddy system to check areas you cannot see yourself.
These habits align with general trail hygiene and moisture management practices. You will not prevent every attachment. You can reduce frequency.
How to remove a leech safely
Removal should be calm and mechanical.
Locate the narrower head end attached to your skin. Gently slide a fingernail or the edge of a thin, firm object under the head to break suction. Once the head detaches, remove the thicker rear sucker and flick the leech away before it reattaches.
Do not simply pull the body away without breaking suction. Tearing can leave mouthparts embedded and increase local irritation.
Avoid squeezing the leech’s body.
Allowing a leech to detach naturally is also acceptable if practical. They will usually release within 20 to 45 minutes after feeding.
What not to do
Do not apply salt, flame, insect repellent, alcohol or other chemicals to an attached leech. These methods irritate the leech and can cause it to regurgitate gut contents into the wound. This increases the risk of bacterial contamination and infection.
Removal should be deliberate and controlled, not reactive.
After removal
Clean the wound with potable water. Apply light pressure if bleeding continues. A small sterile dressing can protect clothing.
Expect oozing for several hours. Change dressings as needed. Monitor for increasing redness, warmth, swelling or discharge over the following days. These signs suggest infection and warrant medical review.
Leeches in difficult locations
External skin attachments are straightforward. If a leech attaches inside the nose, mouth or other body cavities, seek medical assessment. Internal attachments are uncommon but require professional management.
Avoid drinking untreated water in leech-prone environments.
Perspective
Leeches trigger strong reactions, but they are a manageable part of damp forest ecosystems. Calm removal and basic hygiene prevent almost all complications. They are inconvenient, not catastrophic.
Give me a leech over a tick any day !
Great info
I find leeches quite amusing. Maybe it’s my sadistic side coming out but I find it funny how such tiny creatures can create so much fear.
What’s your go-to method for removing leeches if you happen to find one on your skin while out hiking?
Trail Hiking Australia screaming like a baby then use a card. Eg like an old credit card. No salt or alcohol as they vomit into you. Ew
Trail Hiking Australia I always carry a survival knife and multi tool when out hiking. I don’t recommend it but you can use the blade of the knife scrape it off. If it hasn’t yet fully attached, finger nails work fine. Then a dab of betadine to minimize any infection.
Le Black that’s a great tip, especially the antiseptic afterwards.
Trail Hiking Australia I carry salt for my water, put salt on them, they immediately let go and fall off.
Matt noooo. They will vomit into you …..
Karen Jane Hawkins yeah, never had that happen, they immediately fall off.
Trail Hiking Australia I take them off with my fingers, roll them in a ball in the palms of hands and flick them away. I was in the northern Rivers before the huge flood in Lismore. It rained for 6 out of 7 months prior so many leeches. I just disinfect where they had attached.
Trail Hiking Australia either break the seal with a nail then pull them off or hand sanitizer, makes them roll off immediately
Trail Hiking Australia salt always carry it
Sue Evans I used to carry salt too until I read a heap of info that said it can make them vomit into you and cause infection. Never had that happen but I don’t carry salt anymore just in case.
Trail Hiking Australia taking a friend with long nails! Worked for the little sucker who took a lunch break on my eye ball 😬
What also worked for this particular occasion was resilience, trust and a touch of bravery
Cassie Pronk eeek. That would have required a lot of trust. Glad your friend had stead hands.
Trail Hiking Australia I dont hit the trails without her!
Cassie Pronk I’ve only walked with you a couple of times, but I was there that day. Whenever leech conversations come up we always bring that one up 😧
Rona Heffernan I live with mild anxiety now when I walk on warm wet Ferny tracks! Goggles could become a thing!
Cassie Pronk Oh, that’s awful for you. Perhaps if you could do mind speak, keep reminding yourself they are actually harmless. Carry saline viles, that’s what they recommend for the eyes. Not that you’d be unlucky enough to have that happen twice. But who knows😬
TBH I’d rather be bitten by a leech than a mosquito…anyday.
Mozzies can literally kill you.
Murky Murk same here. Strangely they don’t seem to bother me. Although I have never had one in my eye. That might bother me.
Trail Hiking Australia Yeah. You need to have blood, and not ice water running through your veins for them to be interested 😂😁
Murky Murk I’m still trying to work out if that’s a compliment or an insult. 🙂
Trail Hiking Australia Hahahhahaha definitely the former 😁👍 #cooliscoolinanylanguage
I usually panic at least initially,after feeling a mild sensation from the leech locking on,then I usually just rip them off!! Not best practice I know!!
Scott Timlock I know that one. 😅
My sister recently told me to put hand sanitizer on them and they drop right off. Good tip!
Toni Mackinlay I’ll have to try that. Thanks for sharing.
Darren Edwards it’s particularly good as you can get a small bottle and it’s something that is useful to carry when hiking and trail running anyway
Toni Mackinlay we usually have one in our pack for overnight hikes. Might have to be an addition to our packs for day hikes too.
Okay. Leeches are my pet topic for civvie hikers. Having spent a significant amount of time traipsing about (and lying on the ground) in tropical jungles and rainforests, I’ll say that prevention is waaaayyyy better than cure.
For a day hike, if you’re expecting leeches, make sure you treat your shoes and pant legs with your favourite insect repellent (Bushman’s Heavy Duty Spray is my go to). This keeps them climbing UP your legs. Make sure you wear a wide brim hat and treat that with repellent, wouldn’t hurt to treat your neck and shoulders too. Yes. I’ve had leeches literally throw themselves off trees (airborne assault) and rain DOWN around my team, on the off chance of landing on something warm and full of blood.
If you MUST wade through an infested, stagnant tropical stream, good luck…they will find their way into your crevices. Here is where I suggest you bring your favourite insect repellent and go to town when you get to a convenient spot to drop your pants, check your socks, boots, seams and even your pockets (there is a reason why some of us literally went ‘commando’). Make sure you take the time to do another leech check later down the trail. You might have missed one or two.
TBH you’re better off just getting through all the water obstacles (low ground) and doing a thorough leech check once you get to high ground and don’t anticipate any more water crossings.
I do have a few methods for getting them off if they are attached (there are quite a few good suggestions here—not sure if I take a hunting knife to my groin but hey, it ain’t stupid if it works) but depending on how long and how deep the wound is, treatment varies. Really deep open leech wounds take forever to clot and you really want to make sure a bloat fly doesn’t lay her eggs in you while you’re still mucking about in the jungle.
Now. Here’s one thing I was never game to try. Apparently, some more progressive types (during the Vietnam War) would put on nylon pantyhose under their pants. Leeches aren’t strong enough to chew through nylon. If this is something you’re thinking of trying, let us know how you go.
PS They do make leech proof under garments now, so maybe you don’t need to bother your mum for a pair of her old nylons.
Murky Murk great advice
Sue Evans Literally learned through blood, sweat and tears 😂
Murky Murk tea tree spray works too. They just fall off
Karen Jane Hawkins Anything that makes them change their mind IMHO. I’ve even used rifle cleaning solution 🙈
Murky Murk lol. That’s gold
Karen Jane Hawkins It says POISON in bold type on the side 😂
Murky Murk bwah ha ha. I spray exit mould on spiders. That works. Mortein doesn’t ….
I would use hand sanitiser. I feel bad for the leeches to be honest, they’re just doing their own thing and are mainly harmless. But having had an infection from one a few years back that was pretty unpleasant and required a course of antibiotics, these days it’s me or the leech!
I find bug spray on shoes, socks and lower pants can also help in deterring them. I used to carry a small spray bottle with a home made mix of water and various essentials including the citrus ones you mention.
Mandy Pitt eeek. That doesn’t sound pleasant. Good tips.
Trail Hiking Australia the antibiotics came 2 weeks after a scout hike in Blackwood where I spent the day reassuring the kids that leeches were perfectly fine. All just part of the food chain 😅
Mandy my dog once had one in his nose, ever since I’ve been nervous about getting one in an ear or nose or some other place things shouldn’t go 😬🤣
Craig Ward I think the general advice is to ‘clench’ when walking in areas with leeches.
Mandy Pitt +1! Good ideas. I use them too.
i literally have a fear of them… i work on a farm where this a bushy leech area and my boss knows l have a geninue fear of them, so she kindly goes in there for me… I think its the fact that they can get into area where you don’t want them that l don’t like. My boss has had them in her eye, and one count she had 22 on her….
Renee Murden Reminds me of the time I had one hanging off my neck for 4 hours…it was the size of a broad bean by the time I realized. Of course, my buddy just looked at me and said, “Yeah, saw that 4 hours back…but since we’re pushing to get to the objective and losing daylight, I figured you wouldn’t want to stop to take care of it.”
After I dealt with the leech, I bled into my shirt half the night. 🙈
Renee Murden I have a sneaking suspicion that they can sense fear and are attracted to it. My wife can’t stand them and on one hike, we counted 42 on her feet and you could see then crawling along the ground towards her. I didn’t have any on, or near me. We are totally the opposite with mosquitoes though.
Trail Hiking Australia haha I now blame the medication lm on… I say they can smell it in my blood..lol
Trail Hiking Australia I’m sticking with ice water 😁
Actually, it really is body heat. They will head towards the hottest heat source. We discovered this one afternoon when we stopped to boil some stream water. The leeches ALL fast crawled past us, straight up the gas burner and danced around the flame. It was weird AF.
Murky Murk so they aren’t overly intelligent. Nice leech stew though.
Trail Hiking Australia Definitely dumb AF. Single sensor organism.
Metho in an atomizer. Works for me.
I had a leach the other day on the second knuckle of my big toe (NSW south coast), put a bit of salt on it and thought nothing of it. On day two my entire foot and ankle were swollen. It took 4 antihistamines to bring the swelling down. I usually have a bad reaction to ticks, I’ve had over a hundred over the years, it’s seems leaches are going the same way for me now
Rod Riguez oh that doesn’t sound good. I saw someone else commented they had an allergic reaction. I’ve read that putting salt on them can cause them to vomit I to the wound, causing an infection.
Trail Hiking Australia I’ve been using salt on them for 45 years. Never had a problem before. I’m guessing some sort of auto immune response due to over exposure, or I’m just old and dying
Rod Riguez id always used it too and have never had issues. Might be an over exposure thing. I have that with bull ant bites now
I’ve just developed a reaction to them. The last two leeches I fed left me with bites that required 24/7 icepacks for a whole week. Any pro-tips from anyone on aftercare from others who react?
Ben Marshall Tea tree oil helps a little, but they just itch horribly for days!
Ben Marshall wow. Sorry to hear that. Hope you get some good tips from others.
In outdoor ed world we get them off the kids with hand sanitizer which nukes them straight away. It causes them to let go from the mouth.
The knife flicking method is not recommended as it can cause more of a bite wound as the leech can detach at the mouth resulting in the mouth remaining attached to your skin.
Leeches have an anticoagulant in their saliva which prevents blood from clotting, hence, the bite site will most likely bleed a lot. Clean up the blood and clean the site with steri wipes to prevent infection.
They’re just fact of life in my line of work unfortunately. I flicked 2 off me last week
I prefer to flick them off at my nearest group member
Salt works well
Samir Sawant I used to have salt in the post as a recommendation. That was until people called me out for it a while ago saying it’s not a recommended approach. I think use what works for you.
Don’t remove! The reaction is much worse when leeches removed compared to letting them finish their dinner and drop off naturally
Amanda Warriner I had one on my neck that I didn’t know about once. Seemed he was never going to let go, it was huge by the time it had finished gorging itself. My contribution to the leech world I guess.
Trail Hiking Australia funny you should say that, i had one on the back of my neck last week! I found it by rubbing my neck, he was already well fed and had ended up tangled in my hair. It definitely took its fair share of my blood, but a lot less itchy rhen the bites on my legs and under my shirt
Amanda Warriner that’s the exact same scenario I had. Kind of freaky to find a lump that’s not meant to be there.
Does holding a lighter to the leeches tail not get taught anymore?? 🔥 🔥 🔥
Patrick Wark I don’t think it is recommended. Although I’m guilty of trying in the past. There’s a lot more awareness now about not actually killing them. Plus I have hairy legs so it’s probably not the safest option for me.