Now that the rain has stopped, these little critters are everywhere. So be prepared if you are in the process of mopping up the mess of our recent flooding. Long shirts and pants tucked into boots are recommended. However, if you do find yourself with one attached to your skin, here’s how you can safely and successfully remove it. Locate the skinny end of the leech - this is the end with the mouth. Note that leeches have suckers on both ends of their bodies, though they can only feed from the mouth end. Place your finger next to the mouth, with your finger pointing at your skin and your nail adjacent to the mouth. Slide your fingernail towards the leech, pushing it sideways and off your skin. Repeat the process with the other end of the leech if necessary. Flick the leech away from you before it can re-attach. Note that if you just try to grab the leech by the body and pull it off, the leech may break, leaving the mouth still attached to your skin. This can make the healing process much slower, so I don’t recommend this.