leeches

[hipdeep]

We just moved to a house on a lake and we were wading in the shallow water during the heat wave. There's a lot of algae there. When we stepped out, my 2 year old daughter had a leech on her toe.

After quietly freaking out I had to ooohhh and ahhhh over the cute little leech so she wouldn't panic while my husband ran for the salt. (full body shiver).

So, of course we want to use the lake. How can I mimimize this? We don't have a dock and have to walk through this shallow bit to enter.

I've heard I can put holes in a can and raw meat in there and pull it out frequently as a bait trap. (Sounds, smelly, gross, and high maintenance.)

I also heard you can drop salt blocks in. What does this mean? Are these like 50lb salt licks? Would they dissolve slowly? Would that push them deeper?

Any advice would be MUCH appreciated.

-Brooke

 

[chickbea]

I don't know the solution, but ewwww!

What if you stocked the pond with whatever type of fish like to eat leeches?

 

[arlee453]

Buy a good set of tweezers??!!??

 

[gumpsgirl]

Sounds like you did a very good job keeping yourself under control! Good job mom!

I'm not sure how you would clear up a leech problem. I think the best solution would be to build a dock or bridge over that specific area. Good luck with it!

 

[coffeemama]

Ewwww-I had leaches on me once ad it was pretty gross! I would think that salt would kill other "good" things in your pond. Maybe ask a pond company?

 

[redoak]

We have blue-gill sunfish in our 2 ponds and they keep the leaches under control. My wife goes swimming a few times a year and has yet to get one on her. We have snapping turtles that come out of the swamps and stay for a couple weeks and they are usually covered with leaches when they first arrive.

 

[Aneesa's Muse]

Are snapping turtles fun to swim with?

..sorry, couldn't resist....

 

[Finn]

The biggest problems with leeches up north here along the MN / WI border is fisherman (not all,but some) dump their bait (da' leeches) into the river instead of taking them home and disposing of them,a buddy of mines parents have a lake home around Fergus Falls MN and their solution is just to keep a big salt shaker and tweezers inside a sealed coffee can by the dock,and to teach the kiddies that its no harm to them and not a big deal.

Remember, leeches and politicians are here no matter what we do, just have to get used to them.