Most are carnivores, dining upon carrion, snails, insect larvae, and nymphs. Once threatened, they contract their 34 body segments, curling up in a compact ball. They also have the ability to dramatically vary their shape. Leeches, Vancouver Island, BC, Photo By Bud Logan Confident swimmers, they propel themselves through the water in an extended long, slender pitching motion and will walk like an inchworm across the bottom of lakes, possessing both anterior and posterior suckers leeches often use these to leapfrog along the bottom substrate and debris, the front sucker is actually their mouth. Muddy bottomed nutrient-rich waters are home to prolific leech populations. Hardy and long-lived for the most part leeches inhabit all the BC Coastal Regions freshwater environments including, lakes, ponds, rivers, streams, bogs, and swamps. They are cousins to terrestrial earthworms and nightcrawlers. More than 60 species live in North America. But if you trace their roots back to medieval times when leeches were used for medicinal purposes, a practice that is still in use today, you will see that they have not always been thought of as demon creatures. History portrays them as blood-sucking creatures with a lousy reputation. Leeches also have this effect on most of us. Like mosquitoes, black flies and deer flies are some noted favorites. Most people have a natural dislike for creatures making a habit of dining on living hosts.
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