Leech - related to earthworms

If there was ever a creature that was maligned, feared, and hated unwarrantly, it was the leech. The term conjures up thoughts of blood-engorged slimy beasts waiting for its next victim to appear. Jars of the bloodthirsty villains await the opportunity to extract the offending tissue of black-eyed patrons visiting local barbershops. Movies such as "The African Queen" depict heroes and heroines alike covered in the parasitic pestilence that use salt to remove the cursed creatures. Then there is the riveting fear handed down from generation to generation when a leach actually attaches to a wader's body and the general uproar associated with attempting to remove it.

I have to admit to feeling a certain degree of anxiety when I have one attached to my hand after I pull it out from a hiding place. The sensation is short-lived though as I remember that most leaches are, in fact, non-parasitic. Leeches belong to the Annelids, the same phylum as earthworms. Most of us could hold one of these in our hands with ease; we are mostly aware of their benevolent nature with the soil and that they pose no risk when handled. Many species of leach are very similar. They are scavengers or predators of small invertebrates. They live in fresh water and can often be found hiding under substrates near the shoreline. Occasionally one may be found swimming through the water, undulating along a vertical plane by using their flattened bodies to propel themselves forward through serpentine motion.

The great thing about leaches relates to their place in the ecosystem. They are favourite prey of fish, much as earthworms are when used as bait. Although they mostly avoid light (eyespots help in that) they will come out at dark or may be found creeping along the bottom or even free-swimming as stated above. The scavengers help clean up the environment and the predators feed on the plentiful invertebrates that are found in the shallows. They are part of what makes a healthy water body. Their presence should be celebrated, not cursed. There is an excellent article on leeches here.

While on holidays this summer I spent a modest amount of time along lakeshores looking for interesting invertebrates to photograph. Most of the leaches I found were black, but this one was a fascinating translucent yellow-orange colour. I photographed it using my macro setup which includes a 36 mm extension tube with a 105 mm macro lens on an APS-C sensor DSLR camera sporting three individual macro flashes. I thought it would be interesting to label the parts as far as I could identify them in the shot.

Next time you find a leech, take some time to appreciate it and watch how it moves. If it tries to bite you, keep in mind that you can always pound a wooden stake into its heart. You will need two stakes because leeches have two hearts. And be sure to keep them away from your neck; it is their favourite place to bite (just kidding of course).

Thanks for reading.     Ericspix     Eric Svendsen