Whether you’re taking a short trek in the woods, or setting down to camp, it is universally known to always keep an eye out for big animals that might ruin what should be an otherwise peaceful trip.
But people tend to forget that they are not the only ones you should watch out for.
Why, I’m talking about insects! Those tiny little creatures, crawling about while doing their own business. It is likely that you have a couple of them in your backyard, just hanging around the grass.
Unlike large animals who have a direct and distinct presence, it’s quite easy to forget that insects also exist. And when they find themselves in your camp, they are usually little more than nuisances that cause you to itch.
But while you may run into cool-looking beetles in your journey, you are also highly likely to run into some parasites. They are widely considered as pests for many of us and are not part of the interesting insect ecosystem we would like to see.
And not only that, they can be dangerous too.
In this article, we will explore Mother Nature’s little woes, and what you can do to protect yourself against them while exploring her wild world.
1. Mosquitoes
The classic mosquito, a nuisance not only in your household, but even in the outdoors.
You can usually find their habitat near bodies of water, such as rivers, or large puddles formed by recent rain activity.
The females of the species are the only ones who bite, feeding during evening hours. It is unlikely for mosquitoes to emerge in the day, but it can still happen. They are also dangerous. Mosquitoes carry around with them many diseases, such as West Nile virus, Zika virus, malaria, and dengue. All it takes is one bite for them to insert whatever they have inside into your body.
How do I protect myself?
-In this case, prevention from being bitten in the first place is paramount. Wear longer and loose sleeved clothing if possible, to prevent mosquitoes from being able to bite your skin. The less skin shown, the better.
-Use store-bought insect repellant to discourage mosquitoes from approaching.
-Minimize movement outdoors at night, especially when near a body of water.
-Cover bottles, drums, or other equipment that has water inside. Mosquitoes love laying their eggs in there.
2. Ticks
If you own a dog, it is highly likely that you have encountered one of these disgusting things. They always seem to come out of nowhere and are attached to your dog as if they have been living there their entire life.
While they cannot fly like mosquitoes, they want to suck blood all the same. And like mosquitoes, they can host a variety of diseases such as Bourbon virus and Lyme disease.
You will not need to worry about the ticks on your dog potentially seeing you as a tasty snack, as they rarely bite humans. But there are ticks out in the wild that are out of your blood while you explore.
They can be found in wooded, grassy, and brushy areas, usually hiding themselves and waiting for a suitable host to walk by before hitching a ride.
How do I protect myself?
-Like mosquitoes, the less skin showing, the better. Wear long pants and socks to cover your lower body from the areas you will be walking in.
-Wearing lightly colored clothing will help you spot ticks on your clothes, thanks to their contrasting colors.
-Stay on the path and avoid walking through dense grass as much as possible.
-Use tick repellent.
-When you arrive home, shower immediately, and check for ticks all over your body while you do so. Some places lick your underarms are perfect hiding spots and environments for ticks.
-Always use gloves when handling ticks.
-If bitten by a tick, DO NOT pull it off with your fingers, some of the diseases that ticks have such as Lyme disease can go through pores and small cuts. Using your fingers has a high chance of crushing the tick, causing it to spread its fluids all over your hand. If it does not kill the tick, the squeeze will instead make it regurgitate the blood it sucked, causing it to spill more of whatever disease it has on the bloodstream.
-If you need to pull a tick off, use tweezers. Grab the tick and pull up with steady but even pressure. Do not twist, as it might cause part of the tick’s head to break and remain in your skin.
-Wash any wounds by ticks thoroughly.
3. Leeches
Leeches are not insects like the previous two. Instead, they are considered worms.
It is worth noting that many leeches do not actually drink blood, but the ones that do can still be found in many places.
Aquatic leeches can be found all over the world, meaning they can appear in most lakes, rivers, and streams.
Land leeches, on the other hand, are found in Southeast Asia, the Pacific Islands, the Indian subcontinent, and South America.
Leeches can be found hiding in water or even on foliage, waiting for a host to approach.
When they latch on, it’s highly likely that you will not notice it, as leeches insert an anesthetic in your blood immediately.
Afterwards, they insert an anti-coagulant to stop your blood from being able to clot, which allows them to drink to their hearts content until they get plump and release their grips from you on their own.
One or two leeches will not cause much issues, as the blood they drain is minimal before they drop off and wriggle away. However, they might
cause your wounds to remain bleeding for as long as days. More leeches can be dangerous, however.
How do I protect myself?
-As with ticks and mosquitoes, the more covered your body is, the less chances of having an unwanted hitchhiker clinging to your skin. Wear long pants and double-layered socks!
-Only rest in areas that are open with direct access to sunlight, as leeches do not like this environment.
-Aquatic leeches tend to use debris and aquatic plants in places like lakes to hide themselves. Avoiding these things lessens the chance that a leech attaches themselves to you while you’re swimming.
-If you are bitten by a leech, do not just pull it off. Squeezing the leech might cause it to regurgitate the blood it took, which might have diseases such as syphilis. Using salt is not recommended as well for the same reasons mentioned above. Instead, slide your fingernail on the sucker of the leech and push it away. This reduces the damage to your skin done by its teeth, as well as minimizing the chance for it to reattach itself.
-After a leech bite, clean yourself with antibacterial wipes or alcohol pads.
-When you take a leech off, check around and see if you have any more leeches on you, but do not linger for too long as the original leech might bite into you again.
Wrapping up
All of the creatures mentioned above are bloodsucking parasites, but not all of them are completely harmful to us. Specifically, the leech. It has been used throughout history since Ancient Egypt, but has recently been gaining more traction in the medical field as leech therapy in a controlled environment.
With that said though, you should still very much consider wearing proper clothing when you head out. Wild leeches differ greatly from the leeches that medical doctors use, especially with the kind of bacteria and germs hiding in their stomach.