When you think of leeches, you probably don't get warm fuzzy feelings. Most people recoil at the thought of a leech attaching itself to a leg while swimming. Well, it's true that leeches are kind of gross, but they are pretty harmless. On this page we hope to provide all sorts of information to help give leeches a slightly more respectable name.
Leeches grow for a season, and are ready to breed by the following spring to begin the cycle again.
They are commonly found in lakes and ponds and many of them provide food for vertebrates such as fish, ducks, turtles and some other birds. But before we talk about them feeding on us, let's look at some of the cool things they have been used for. Leeches may seem slimy, but they are being used for a wide variety of scientific and engineering advances. For about 2500 years, leeches were needlessly applied for many ailments. They were a cure-all that didn't cure much.