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Hirudinea
3/4" freshwater leech feeding on an earthworm. Most leech species do not feed on human blood, but instead prey on small invertebrates, which they eat whole. To feed on their hosts, leeches use their anterior suckers to connect to hosts for feeding. Once attached, leeches use a combination of mucus and suction to stay attached and secrete an anticoagulant enzyme, hirudin, into the hosts' blood streams.
Stillhouse Hollow Falls
Spotted on May 23, 2014
Submitted on May 26, 2014
1 Comment
Interesting info Karen, thanks for sharing.