If you are someone going out for a camping trip with your family or friends. Then you should note that there are tons of stuff that you will have to look out for. This includes having the best possible equipment with you as well as being prepared in advance. Depending on where you want to visit and how long you are going to stay, the items required might vary. This is why you must plan your trip carefully when packing your equipment.
Talking about this, one of the most annoying things people complain about is running into leeches. These parasites live in fresh water and surfaces near it. You can also find them hiding in moist areas in forests near a water body. Considering this, there is a high chance that you run into one of these while you are on your trip. This is why we will be using this article to teach you how to keep leeches away. Following the steps mentioned below should help you in preventing your encounter with these parasites.
How to Keep Leeches Away
1. Tucking in Your Clothes
The main reason why people go out camping is that they get to explore new areas while also making memories with their loved ones. Considering this, you might decide to take a stroll around the forest or go out swimming. Whatever the case might be, traveling near these environments has a high chance of running into leeches.
These are usually sitting up the water surface and will stick to your body while you are swimming. Alternatively, they can fall on you while you are taking a stroll. As soon as these stick to you, the leeches will excrete a chemical that acts as an anesthetic. Considering this, them biting you will be unnoticeable and the leeches should come after 20 minutes at most.
This is enough for them to get all the blood required. Although keeping all of this in mind, if you want to prevent running into these parasites then you should stay away from these areas. In case that is not an option then make sure that you tuck your clothes in tightly. This includes tucking your shirts into your pants and your pants into your socks.
This will help in keeping your body tightly closed so that leeches cannot enter the clothes. Some smaller leeches will enter regardless but most of these can be avoided by this simple process. Wearing leech socks is another option but these will only protect your feet from these parasites.
2. Insect Repellent
Other than preventing leeches from clinging onto you, if you are simply camping near an area where there are lots of leeches. Using insect repellent will ensure that these stay away from your tent. There are tons of products available that can be applied to your body as well as a tent. These are safe to breathe in which is why you should not have any problems with them.
Make sure that you apply these all over your body as well as the camp. Once this is done, any leeches coming towards you will automatically back off. Though, keep in mind that there are also companies with cheap sprays that will do nothing. That is why it is important that you carefully select a product from a brand that you know is reliable. This will ensure that you keep all of these leeches away from yourself as well as your camp.
3. Using Salt or Tobacco Leaves
Aside from repellents, if you are already on your trip but don’t have access to these. Then another option is that you use salt or a tobacco product instead. These also act as a strong repellent to these parasites. Make sure that you spread these around your camp or throw them on a leech approaching you.
While a small quantity of these is enough to scare off leeches. You can even kill them if a lot of salt or tobacco is thrown on these parasites. This is quite an easy process and most people intending to stay on their trips for a few days will have access to salt. Other than this, make sure that you check your body and clothes when packing to catch any leech that had sneaked in.
