200506 Newsletter

QUEENSLAND BUSHWALKERS CLUB Inc. Newsletter

74 Kallista Rd. Rochedale South QLD 4123 Email [email protected] Phone No (07) 3341 7509 www.geocities.com/qldbwc

June 2005

Illinbah Circuit

Club News Walks Planning Day

Prepayment of an Activity

8 May 2005

Fifteen people attended this Walks Planning Day and BBQ at Dave Kenrick’s place. This was the best turnout yet and many walks were discussed, planned and set down for the upcoming Calendar. The updated Calendar was then emailed to leaders for confirmation and some more walks have been added since. In checking the Club walks schedule from April 2004 to April 2005, there have been over 100 Club walks in that time. These walks have been led by 24 individuals out of a Club membership of about 130. About 70% of the walks have been conducted by 10 leaders. Please help to spread the load of leading walks. If you would like to lead a walk and have never done so, talk with one of the committee members.

Club website The Club website now has information on how and where to book campsites on the leaders page. The page has contact information for pre-booking both developed and remote bush campsites in national parks.

At the QBW Committee meeting on 31/5/05 the following motion was passed: That a nominee for an activity that requires prepayment pays the said fee at time of nomination. By a nominee paying the camping and/or other fees at the time of nomination, the leader is not out of pocket for any expenses if the nominee then does pull out.

Request from Redland Bushwalking Club Dear bushwalking club members We are hoping to present a display at the Pilgrimage this year (August 2005 at Bigriggen) that represents a trip down memory lane showing the various Pilgrimages throughout the years. We are seeking old equipment and photos of interest, activities, locations of previous Pilgrimages. Should any club member be able to assist with this collection….original photos can be scanned and returned…..please contact Laurel Santry at Ph: 0438 080 157 or email: [email protected]. Many thanks – Redland Bushwalking Club Pilgrimage Committee

See http://www.geocities.com/qldbwc/aboutus/leaders.html Page 1 of 6

General Information

The Management Committee

Meeting Place Club Meetings are held on the first Tuesday of each month at the East Brisbane State School, corner of Stanley Street and Wellington Road, starting at 7:30pm. There is parking within the school grounds off Wellington Road. Consult a street directory, as there are a number of one-way streets in the area. There is also parking in Wellington Road.

President

Trevor Cox

3273 3484 (H)

Vice President

Trevor Davern

0411 512 202

Secretary

Bob Gur

3345 3971 (H)

Tea/Coffee and cake/biscuits are provided after the meeting. A coin donation would be appreciated

Membership Officer

Ken Walters

3344 1927 (H)

Editor

Richard Kolarski

3341 7509 (H)

Treasurer

Gary Woodward

3245 2695 (H)

Outings Secretary

David Kenrick

3349 8238 (H)

Membership

Social Secretary

Evelyn Campbell

3809 2354 (H)

Before a visitor can go on a walk, he/she must be a Member (Probationary or Ordinary) or be a member of an affiliated club.

Training Officer

Frank Garland

3341 5207 (H)

Membership of QBW is only $20 and lasts till the end of the Club’s financial year which is on the 30th of June each year.

Other Voluntary Positions Equipment Officer

Steve Moyle

3800 3963 (H)

Supper Convenor

Danuta Gur

3345 3971 (H)

A non-member automatically becomes a Probationary Member on his/her first walk after signing the waiver form. There is no prescribed fee for a Probationary Member.

Federation Rep

Richard Kolarski

3341 7509 (H)

Federation Rep

Trevor Cox

3273 3484 (H)

However a Probationary Member must become an Ordinary Member on his/her 2nd walk by filling out a membership form and paying the prescribed fee.

FMR Rep

Richard Kolarski

3341 7509 (H)

FMR Rep

Frank Garland

3341 5207 (H)

Ordinary Membership

Campsite Monitors

A person may become an Ordinary Member by filling out a membership form and handing the form to a committee member or walk leader and paying $20.00.

Ratatat Hut Running Creek Falls

An Ordinary Member has the right to vote at an AGM or be elected to a committee position. A Probationary Member has neither of these rights.

Throakban

Probationary Membership

Members of Another Bushwalking Club Members of another bushwalking club affiliated with the Queensland Federation of Bushwalking Clubs or another State Federation are covered by the same Insurance. Thus they do not need to become a member of our Club for insurance purposes.

Barbara Makepeace Richard Kolarski Gary Woodward Kerry de Clauzel Trevor Smith Christine & Cliff Harrison Ann Kemp John Brunott

Mt Superbus Spicers Peak Mt May

Editors Pic

Equipment for Hire The Club has a backpack (suitable for use as a day or through pack) for hire at $5.00 per week. QBW is also looking at purchasing further equipment in the near future. Any suggestions for equipment to buy would be appreciated. Also any person who has surplus equipment and would like to donate or sell to the Club, please contact one of the Committee members or Steve Moyle on 3800 3963.

Bivy Bag/Pack Liners for Sale The Club has purchased a quantity of pack liners from VicWalk suitable for through packs. They are 2 metres by 0.9 metres in a bright orange colour. The packliners can double as an emergency bivvy bag and have helpful information printed on them. They are available from the Club for $3.00 each or 2 for $5.00.

Club Shirts The club still has a number of Club polo shirts for sale. They are available in XL, L, M and S size. $20.00 each

Bug-eyed

EPIRB Available for Members

New Members

The Club has purchased an EPIRB. It will be available to any member of the Club at no charge for use on weekend or weekday walks. If you would like to take the EPIRB on a walk, ring 3341 7509 on where to pick up and return the EPIRB.

Ian Finlay

Emergency Space Blankets The Club has a supply of these for sale at $2.50 each.

Geraldine Jones

Ryszard Wyrwich No of financial Ordinary Members

128

This is the number of renewals and new members since 1/2/2004 Page 2 of 6

Special Coming Events Pilgrimage 2005

Past Walks

19-21 August 2005

Every year Queensland bushwalkers make the Pilgrimage to a favourite meeting place to camp, walk, socialise, catch-up, and have FUN! Redland Bushwalking Club, the organisers for the 2005 Pilgrimage, wants to make this the biggest and best Pilgrimage ever! When

August, Friday 19, Saturday 20 and Sunday 21

Where:

Bigriggen camping grounds

Cost

Only $30 per person.

Cost includes

supper Friday night supper Saturday night light breakfast Sunday morning camping fees for two nights

There will be entertainment throughout the weekend, a Coffee Shop will be running all weekend (with entertainment) (bring extra coins to purchase beverages and eats), a trip down memory lane display and a big campfire plus bushdance, storytelling and entertainment on Saturday night

Albert River Circuit

27 February 2005

How to spend a beautiful summer’s day – join twelve enthusiastic bushwalkers for a stroll around the Green Mountains section of Lamington National Park. Not such a stroll though as the humidity was high and we still felt the heat on the uphill bits. There was a reasonable volume of water flowing in the river but we could still keep our feet dry. The cool, fern shaded pools along Albert River were a wonderful sight to behold. Several large Lamington crays were out and about and Margaret shared her lunch spot with a metre long snake: maybe a mulga or yellow eye. There were many tree falls on the section of track from the Border Track to Albert River so we could still practice our scrambling skills even on a track walk. Two first-time walkers, Christine and Imelda, were among the group. Steven and Margaret have done a few walks with the Club. The rest of us were seasoned walkers looking for a day out in the rainforest away from the Brisbane heat. Thank you to Stan and Suzanne for being “tail” and to Stan, Ann, Lynne and Steven for ferrying people up and down the mountain. Patricia

Other fun activities planned throughout the weekend.

Upper to Lower Portals

Hinchinbrook Island

This walk took place instead of the Byron Gorge walk, as there was a last minute hitch in getting car permits. Maria graciously let this walk be a somewhat exploratory walk for my upcoming Upper to Lower Portals crossover. There were only four of us for the walk plus Patricia who agreed to be our driver and to do the car shuttle.

5-9 September 2005

Thorsborne Trail There is still one spot available due to a cancellation. I have booked the Thorsborne Trail for six people, the maximum party size permitted for this walk. Spread over five days this will be a fairly easy throughwalk. Five days’ food as well as camping gear needs to be carried but water will be available each day. If interested please phone me on 3341 7509.

Hinchinbrook Island

5 March 2005

Patricia

5-9 September 2005

Mt Diamantina At the same time there will be a separate trip with 5 people booked to climb Mt Diamantina on Hinchinbrook. Contact Richard on 3341 7509 for more information.

Great Australian Bushwalk

16 October 2005

The National Parks Association Qld will again be organising The Great Australian Bushwalk in liaison with other states. Last year's event was successful, with walks in all states and some high profile political patronage and it received nationwide coverage on the ABC. This event is intended to encourage new and old walkers to venture outside to enjoy natural landscapes and values. It is a good vehicle to introduce new members to clubs and associations. It is expected that each bushwalking club will organise its own daywalks, leaders etc similar to usual arrangements. Each club will be expected to have adequate insurance cover for themselves and any guests. Any queries to Cathie Duffy Masters ph 07 3394 1030 or Warren Martens 07 3288 8508

Namadgi National Park

7-22 January 2006

Namadgi National Park in the ACT and is the most northern of the Australian Alps national parks. There are a number of bushwalks available and this trip will mainly offer day walks and assistance for any through walkers. It will be summer with the wildflowers in bloom. I will need to know numbers by the end of November so that bookings in campgrounds can be made. Contact Richard on 3341 7509 for more information.

Upper to Lower Portals Walk

Maria, Gil, Ken and myself said goodbye to Patricia on top of Cleared Ridge. While Patricia drove to the Lower Portals we started walking along the dirt fire trail on top of the ridge. I took frequent stops for GPS co-ordinates and checked our progress on the map. After about an hour we came to a rock cairn alongside the track and a distinct walking trail heading along another ridge going down to Lower Portals. We followed this and had morning tea beside the track with views out to Mt Barney. We were fortunate to see a wedge tail eagle soaring above as we rested. Further on we found a track junction and we surmised that the right branch led to Barney Gorge campsite. However as some of us had already been to this campsite we decided to explore the left branch. There was a lovely lookout out to Mt Maroon and soon on our right appeared Tom’s Thumb. Here we did a right turn off the ridge line and came upon the Lower Portals camping area. We went up to the Lower Portals and met up with Patricia who had only arrived there ten minutes previously. Some of us enjoyed a swim while two rock wallabies looked on unconcerned at us from a ledge on the rocks. Many thanks to my fellow walkers and a special thanks to Patricia for being our driver. Richard

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Muscat and Bailey

6 March 2005

This walk was deferred months ago to early March but sadly the walk again didn't proceed as planned. What took place however was quite interesting and offers some valuable lessons. We must thank our leader Anne for leading us through one of the most interesting day walks I have experienced in Brisbane Forest Park. Without any warning signs or closure of parts of Brisbane Forest Park we were unaware of what awaited us further along - as none of us had walked through bush that had recently been burnt we were not aware of the dangers that hindsight is quick to correct. Heading out for the poorly named "Heart Break Ridge" there was little to no evidence of the fires that had burned through a week before. As we progressed down Heart Break Ridge we left the wet sclerophyll forest and met the burnt out sections on Heart Break Ridge. We were wondering why the track to the start of this ridge had been cleared and now it was obvious that the fires were deliberately lit by some fire authority. The fires had appeared to burn down the hill and had been rather cool as the scorch marks averaged about a metre in height. We only proceeded from here as it appeared to us that the fires that had come through presented no danger and any dry fuel in the area had been consumed. The landscape fascinated us and we saw some hellish visions as hollowed eucalypts were burning from the inside out. Some had fallen over and you could look right up the core to see a vision of a beautiful long oven full of glowing coals. What a great place to roast a pig or two! The lure and hypnotic effect of the landscape had drawn us out onto the wrong ridge so we backtracked a little to the correct East-heading ridge and proceeded down the hill. The danger, which we should have realised earlier, became apparent when an old Eucalypt dropped a large branch not 50 m from us. We soon passed the very slow moving fire front which had a height of about 5cm and was moving exceptionally slowly and breathed a sigh of relief when we reached the creek. We believed to go up either tributary of South Kobble was dangerous as any falling tree up the slope could dislodge rocks onto us so we decided to abort our original mission. Heading North up the nearest ridge away from the fires we made our way to the 560 knoll then to Mid Kobble above the falls. We had an interesting explore up Mid Kobble with some nice obstacles and then the walk to the cars. Thanks again to Anne who led us on a most enjoyable and interesting walk. I believe we made all the appropriate decisions, as the dangers were not apparent until we were mostly through them. For future walks it is probably worth considering that the danger of falling branches and limbs can last for some time (weeks?) after even a reasonably "cool" fire has passed through an area! PS We all thought we forgot our cameras so there were no group shots. It wasn't until we were on our way out that an inspection revealed a camera. Sorry - no log photos! David

Upper Portals Circuit

12 March 2005

There were not enough people to do the advertised Upper to Lower Portals Crossover, so it was decided to try a walk not undertaken by the Club before. The walk involved starting from Cleared Ridge, going down to the Barney Gorge campsite and then walking upstream to the Upper Portals and then back to the car. David took the opportunity of trying a set of sunglasses from the Czech Republic. They were enormous, rounded, and looked as if they were intended for skiing. David found out later in the day that they were not meant to be dropped on rocks, as they cracked quite easily. The first part of the walk was fairly standard, walking along a dirt road fire trail for about an hour. The day was hot and the trees along the road gave some shelter from the sun. We then turned off along a small walking track, heading east and parallel to Mount Barney Creek.

Entering the Upper Portals

We reached a junction after about half an hour and walked down a steep slope down to Barney Gorge campsite. Here we had a short morning tea break before heading upstream. The creek was low and the rocks were dry so rock hopping was fairly easy. There was also a faint trail on the left bank and we made good time. We reached the junction to Barabool Creek and here we had lunch in the shade. A natural water slide provided some amusement. Further upstream there were some beautiful natural pools and this was an opportunity to cool off. Before I knew it, we were at the Upper Portals. Here David decided to swim across the pool and negotiate the rock. The rest of us made our way up and over a large rock formation on the bank. After rejoining with David it was a straightforward but long walk back to the cars along another dirt road. This walk is a gem and the Club will be adding it to our regular walks in summer so that people can enjoy the cool swims along the way. Many thanks to Steve, David, Evelyn and Gil for their company. Richard

Boondall Wetlands

19 March 2005

On Saturday a small group (10+) gathered at the car park of Boondall Wetlands. Lovely to see one of our members there doing a bike ride – Hi June. A brief overview (the mosquitoes were pretty busy this morning) of the planned walk, introductions (a few new faces) and the group was off on the bikeway/walkway to Nudgee Beach. This is an easy walk on bitumen pathway and boardwalk. Just near the waste treatment area the water looked and smelled bad. In no time at all we reached Nudgee Road and used the footpaths down to the Environment Centre. From here we had to take care on the roadway however, in no time we reached our destination. A lovely picnic area overlooking the water. Time for a well deserved brunch. The swings looked very inviting to Jasmin. Swings must have taken its toll as Jaz was asleep for most of the walk back. Not too much wildlife except for the few birds and the shy blue tongue lizard. Mosquitoes were still rampant when we arrived back so no time to chat. We certainly picked a hot day for this walk but with lots of stops and refreshments it was a good walk. Enjoyed the conversation and company. Thanks everyone. See you next time. Danuta Did you know: - The Boondall Wetlands is an internationally important “Ramsar” and migratory wading bird site. The Wetlands have ties with the Yatsu-higata Wetlands of Tokyo Bay as a part of the East Asian-Australasian Shorebird Reserve Network. You can access the Boondall Wetlands Website for a range of topics: http://brisbane-stores.powerup.com.au

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Illinbah Circuit

20 March 2005

This turned out to be a mystery walk. So mysterious was it that even I didn't know where we were going. The calendar advertised Mt Lindesay which is where I intended to go, however a week before the walk date I went to Lindesay to have a look around and came home with a very bad case of scrub itch. I decided that I couldn't take a group there and so rang around and changed the walk to Tooloona Circuit. On the Friday before the walk, I was informed that 700 metres of the entrance track at O'Reillys was closed and so Tooloona Circuit was out also. On the walk day we decided to do Illinbah Circuit. Eleven walkers, three on their first walk with the club, met at Canungra coffee shop and from there on to Binna Burra. We walked the circuit anti-clockwise leaving the creek crossings for the return journey. I noticed the low level in the creeks. We so need rain. This was a good walk for novice walkers with enough to keep interest and some exertion at the end. Thank you to all walkers and well done to Wendy Zande, Bonnie McBey and Hollie Hollie. Trevor Cox

The engineering of the cable car was a great achievement as it goes up from 70 degrees to very close to vertical. The head structure is perched on top of a rock pinnacle, which is connected via a bridge to another pinnacle which has a horizontal tunnel through rock, snow and ice, and also a vertical lift which takes you up to 3800m. The valleys we travelled through are quite narrow - full of small villages - very green and pretty - but are dominated by the very serious snow covered Alps. Black and white Swiss cows graze on the pastures and you can hear them before you see them due to the tinkling bells which are almost musical due to the different sounds, The villages are a mixture of very old and new architecture which exist side by side. The streets are very narrow and wind their way through the new and the old. Lots of old slab timber buildings are used to store hay and feed for the cattle during winter. The modern buildings are very pretty in Swiss architecture with lots of colourful flower boxes in full colour.

Walking In Europe Peter, Linda, Paul and Barbara spent some time in Europe last year. Peter sent several reports by email on their frenetic progress through various countries. One of the treks they did was the Haute Route. The Haute Route was established almost a hundred years ago as a high mountaineering route that linked together two of Europe's premier mountaineering centers, Chamonix and Zermatt. It was then developed into a ski route and more recently a high-level mountain hike. Few long distance hikes offer the variety and grandeur of landscape as this route. Beginning in Chamonix at the foot of Mont Blanc, Western Europe's highest peak, the Haute Route winds its way through the Swiss canton of Valais. Taking in what is thought to be the greatest collection of four thousand meter peaks in all the Alps, it culminates at the foot of the Matterhorn in Zermatt. Here is Peter’s report on this walk. Spent first three days in Chamonix (France) camping. Twice visited Aiguille du Midi (3800m) by chair lift. This is one of the departure points for Mt Blanc (4800m).

Mt Blanc from Aiguille du Midi

We were out of our trees as we were in the snow and ice and could see the snow covered Alps, including Mt Blanc just a short one and a half days trek away. The trek was through snow and ice with an overnight stay at a refuge, (including a couple of serious climbs) and we were amongst the trekkers and climbers. It was wonderful to be at this height.

The Haute Route

We started the Haute Route by cheating a bit as we took a bus up the valley from Chamonix and then a chair lift up the first 1000m. The first day’s walk was very tough - some 1300 vertical metres up and 1700 m down, over a distance of 14 km at height of 2900m at some of the passes with a full pack. The walk was basically up the side of the Glacier de Trent fantastic views of an ancient and tortured ice field with crevasses, streams and waterfalls. We saw some small avalanches and made camp at 8 pm. The next day was an easy walk to Champex where we had a rest day taking in the local villages. Then took a bus to Le Chable and Verbier and a cable car to Les Ruinettes. We walked to the Cabane de Mont Forte (2500) refuge which was modern and supplied full board. Great experience. Next day was a huge walk - 14 km - 885m up and 740 m down to Refuge Cabane de Prafleuri (2965 m), then through two passes and past various glaciers. Great views of mountains, streams, snow, animals and glaciers. Snow and ice covered mountains were just magnificent all around you. Next day 735m up and 1350m down over 16 km to Arolla. More of the same views. Got to 3000m at Col de Reinmatten- very cold. Great walking. Animals we saw were marmots, (had a close encounter with one), Chamois and Ibex (these are similar to Reindeer). Caught a bus to Sion, train to Visp and another train to Zermatt. Camped one day then moved into a very nice cheap apartment. We spent one day shopping with the rich and beautiful people, then took a chair lift to Schwarzsee. We walked up some 700 m over 4 km to the Hurlie Hut where the Matterhorn climbers leave from. (3280m) Only had a couple of minutes of great views, due to mist, cloud and sleet. Tomorrow off to Mount Rossa at 3800m by chairlift to walk onto a glacier

The cable car to Aiguille du Midi takes you in half an hour from a town at 1000m to a remarkable peak at 3800m. Page 5 of 6

Au Revoir Peter

Leeches Leeches are annelids or segmented worms, and although closely related to the earthworms, are anatomically and behaviourally more specialised. The bodies of all leeches are divided into segments with a powerful clinging sucker at each end (although the anterior, or front sucker can be very small). The mouth is in the anterior sucker and the anus is on the dorsal surface (top) just in front of the rear sucker. Leeches usually have three jaws and make a Y-shaped incision. The Australian land leech has only two jaws and makes a Vshaped incision. Australian leeches can vary in size from about 7 mm long to as much as 200 mm when extended. Leeches are grouped according to the different ways they feed. One group (the jawed leeches or Gnatbobdellida) have jaws armed with teeth with which they bite the host. The blood is prevented from clotting by production of a non-enzymatic secretion called hirudin. The land leech commonly encountered by bushwalkers is included in this group. A second group (the jawless leeches or Rhyncobdellida) insert a needle-like protrusion into the body of the host and secrete an enzyme, hemetin which dissolves clots once they have formed. Leeches which live on body fluids of worms and small freshwater snails possess such an apparatus. A third group, (the worm leeches or Pharyngobdellida) have no jaws or teeth and swallow the prey whole. Its food consists of small invertebrates. The largest leech in the world does this. It's from South America and lives in freshwater. Respiration takes place through the body wall, and a slow undulating movement observed in some leeches is said to assist gaseous exchange. Reproduction As hermaphrodites, leeches have both male and female sex organs. They mate by implanting a "spermatophore" (sperm package) into their partner. The sperm are then transported to the eggs where fertilization occurs

Lecherous Leeches Languidly Liaising

The sperm then make their way to the ovaries where fertilisation takes place. The eggs are deposited into a tough gelatinous cocoon which contains nutrients. The leech shrugs itself free of the cocoon and seals it. The cocoon is either buried or attached to a rock, log or leaf and dries to a foamy crust. After several weeks or months, the young emerge as miniature adults. Leeches die after one or two bouts of reproduction. Feeding Most leeches are sanguivorous, that is they feed as blood sucking parasites on preferred hosts. If the preferred food is not available most leeches will feed on other classes of host. Some feed on the blood of humans and other mammals, while others parasitise fish, frogs, turtles or birds. Some leeches will even take a meal from other sanguivorous leeches which may die after the attack. Sanguivorous leeches can ingest several times their own weight in blood at one meal. After feeding the leech retires to a dark spot to digest its meal. Digestion is slow and this enables the leech to survive during very long fasting periods (up to several months).

How does a leech go about searching for a blood meal? Sensory organs on the head and body surface enable a leech to detect changes in light intensity, temperature, and vibration. Chemical receptors on the head provide a sense of smell and there may be one or more pairs of eyes. A hungry leech is very responsive to light and mechanical stimuli. It tends to change position frequently, and explore by head movement and body waving. It also assumes an alert posture, extending to full length and remaining motionless. This is thought to maximise the function of the sensory structures in the skin. In response to disturbances by an approaching host, the leech will commence "inchworm crawling", continuing in a trial and error way until the anterior sucker touches the host and attaches. Aquatic leeches are more likely to display this "pursuit" behaviour, while common land leeches often accidentally attach to a host. Habitat Most leeches are freshwater animals, but many terrestrial and marine species occur. Land leeches are common on the ground or in low foliage in wet rain forests. In drier forests they may be found on the ground in seepage moistened places. Most do not enter water and cannot swim, but can survive periods of immersion. In dry weather, some species burrow in the soil where they can survive for many months even in a total lack of environmental water. In these conditions the body is contracted dry and rigid, the suckers not distinguishable, and the skin completely dry. Within ten minutes of sprinkling with a few drops of water, these leeches emerge, fully active. Freshwater leeches prefer to live in still or slowly flowing waters, but specimens have been collected from fast flowing streams. Some species are considered amphibious as they have been observed in both terrestrial and aquatic habitats. Uses in Medicine For over 2000 years, leeches were used for many ailments as an adjunct to blood letting. Their use in Europe peaked between 1830 and 1850, but subsequent shortages led to a decline in their use. Today there is a real clinical application in that they are of great value to plastic surgeons when venous congestion of skin and muscle flaps is a problem. Medical use of leeches also includes treatment of black eyes, and hirudin is used in the treatment of inflammation of the middle ear. Hirudin is also being developed for experimental use as a systemic anticoagulant, and may prove useful in invitro blood sampling. Leeches are an extremely effective artificial vein in certain situations where a body part such as a finger has been replanted after an amputation, but only the arterial side is working. The leech then serves as an artificial vein by drawing off the excess blood or the congested blood, until the person can actually grow back small, venous capillaries. The Wound The presence of hirudin in the wound following a leech bite may cause oozing to continue for several hours. Although inconvenient, blood loss is not significant. Gut bacteria can cause wound infection. In the post-operative use of leeches this is closely monitored and dealt with by use of the appropriate antibiotic. There may also be a delayed irritation and itching after a bite. There appears to be no support for the theory that mouthparts left behind after forced removal of the leech causes this reaction. There is no evidence to suggest that leeches can transmit disease. The presence of trypanosomes, (malarial parasites), in the gut of jawless leeches has been noted, but jawed leeches do not appear to be hosts. Allergy to leech bite has been reported. Medical opinion should be sought, depending on the severity of the reaction. Information from the Australian Museum Online.

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