North Carolina Lake Number 1 Most Leech Infested In The Country

It's 60 degrees in February and lake season will be upon us soon. But if you're gearing up for spring and summer on the lake make sure you're doing it safely. And one of the things you may want to be aware of in lake water? Leeches. New data has a North Carolina lake as the most leech infested in the country!

This is according to AnimalsAroundTheGlobe.org. But what exactly is a leech you ask? According to the Oxford Dictionary, a leech is "an aquatic or terrestrial annelid worm with suckers at both ends. Many species are bloodsucking parasites, especially of vertebrates, and others are predators."

Leeches are very commonly found in lakes, particularly in the more shallow areas including the shorelines. And it's North Carolina's Lake Gaston that topped this list. Lake Gaston sits on the border of North Carolina and Virginia in the area between I-85 and I-95. This beautiful lake is known for it's game fish and "crystal-clear" waters.

As someone who is not a big lake fan, influenced heavily by my refusal to get in any water I can't see my feet in, I'm intrigued by that description. Although the leeches put me closer to team stay on the shore or in a boat. They are fairly easy to avoid though. If you take the boat out and jump in the deep water (with a life jacket of course) you should be good. So tubing, skiing, and other lake activities are leech free!