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THE WEIRS TIMES & THE COCHECO TIMES, Thursday, July 7, 2011 ENJOYTHEWATER Get the most out of NH’s Lakes! LEECHES IN OUR LAKE!”
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“Help,” pleaded the caller, “Our lake is pol- luted—it is full of blood- sucking leeches!” As an aquatic biologist, this is one of the various reasons lake-goers call me during the summer, urging me to find someone or some- thing to fix a problem that is ruining their enjoyment of one of New Hampshire’s approximately 1,000 lakes and ponds. “Don’t worry,” I ex-
plained, “Rest assured, by no means does the pres- ence of leeches in your lake mean that your lake is polluted.” The caller on the other
end of the phone was un- convinced, so I continued, “Leeches are natural or- ganisms that can be found in most of New Hamp-
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by Andrea LaMoreaux NH Lakes Assoc.
“HELP… THERE ARE
Leeches are most commonly found in shallow areas of lakes among plants, under rocks, sticks, logs, and attached to decaying leaves. shire’s lakes. While there are more than 650 species of leeches in North Amer- ica, there are only a few species in New Hampshire known to take blood from a person, and that is only if the right opportunity arises.” At this point, I emailed
the caller some informa- tion about where leeches are found, what to do if he got bit by a leech, and how to avoid leaches alto- gether. I never got a return call back, so I guessed his fears were quelled. In case you aren’t con-
vinced that leeches aren’t a problem, or if you are just curious…
What are leeches and where are they found? Leeches are scientifically
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categorized as annelids (segmented worms) and they are closely related to earthworms. They appear as small, flattened worms and can exist in any lake or pond. Like their earth- worm cousins, leeches are hermaphrodites, meaning that after they mate, both leeches can lay eggs. They reproduce in the spring and the young leeches emerge out of their co- coons many weeks later,
just in time for the sum- mer swimming season. Leeches prefer the shallow protected areas of lakes, hiding among plants, un- der rocks, sticks and logs, and attached to organic debris, particularly decay- ing leaves. While it is not known how long freshwa- ter leeches live, it is likely they live for at least several years.
New Hampshire’s blood- sucker Most leeches are pre-
daceous—they feed on worms, snails, fish eggs, and aquatic insects. Some leeches are scavengers, feeding on the remains of dead animals and plants. Only a small percent- age of leech populations suck blood from warm blooded animals, a group which includes people. In New Hampshire, only the Northern Bloodsucker, scientifically referred to as Macrobdella decora, is known to regularly take human blood. This spe- cies is a parasitic worm that grows over two inches long. It is brownish-green in color and sports black and red spots. It has a round, sucker-shaped See LAKES on 21
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