Lifestyle, development and reproduction of leeches in nature

2024 Author: Henry Conors | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-02-12 02:55

Based on the natural characteristics of leeches, they live in both aquatic and terrestrial environments. Of course, they prefer water, as they are fully adapted to it. For the most part, the lifestyle of leeches is associated with small swamps, which are overgrown with reeds and other herbs.

Description

Leechs are parasites. Their body has a ringed structure. It is noteworthy that it was once believed that leeches are a panacea for all diseases. In some ancient languages, "leech" and "doctor" are denoted by the same word. At the moment, these annelids continue to be used in alternative medicine and microsurgery - they dissolve blood clots. To do this, a person is engaged in the cultivation of special worms in laboratories.

Habitat

They prefer to be close to the shores, burrowing here in the silt. They hide under stones, in grasses. It is here that they spend warm spring and summer time. At the same time, this area is a cover for them.

They are found in stagnant ponds, rice fields and lakes. Row of medical leeches breedingcarries out in the river environment. But here they need a quiet backwater, they are not very fond of running water.

Mobility

In many ways, the reproduction and development of leeches is connected with the weather. When it worsens, they are not as active. However, when the sun comes out and there is no wind, they become especially active. They like warm weather, heat. In Georgia, as you know, they can stay on land for a long time. At the same time, leeches get food in plants or run away from dried-up reservoirs.

They are not afraid of an arid climate, in such conditions they can go into long hibernation. And as soon as the heat begins, they burrow into the mud and remain in a daze. If the pond dries up completely, they wake up briefly, burrow even deeper and continue to sleep.

With the end of the drought and the filling of moisture in the area, they wake up and dig out of the mud. Sometimes this is how they spend the entire summer period, autumn and winter. For the most part, this is how the life of the Persian medicinal leeches of Transcaucasia proceeds. This variety has adapted to similar living conditions with frequent droughts.

About breeding

Since the reproduction and development of leeches very often depends on climatic conditions, this part of life is influenced by the area in which they live. Most often, in suitable weather, they mate towards the end of the summer period. If conditions are unfavorable, the reproduction of leeches in nature is postponed to a later date or starts earlier.

They lay cocoons in the last two weeks of August and in September. After that, the worms are buried in the silt and soil,to hide there from the coming cold snap. Autumn and winter negatively affect the condition of these worms. They are in a hibernation that resembles summer.

When young individuals are born after the breeding season of leeches, they begin to attack frogs, tadpoles, fish. Thus they hunt, being parasites on these creatures. The real "owners" of such worms are large animals. But in their absence, leeches use amphibians. Usually leeches cling to their victims when they come to the watering hole. If possible, worms stick to people.

Food

At first, it may look like these worms spend most of their lives on a hunger strike, hiding in the mud. This is only partly true. Indeed, they do not come across prey so often. But the worms have adapted to such a life, it is not difficult for them to starve, using the accumulated blood reserves from the stomach and intestines.

They don't need a constant blood supply. They digest blood for two weeks. And quite without much discomfort, an adult worm can go without food for five to ten weeks. Sometimes they starve for 6 months. The maximum duration of the hunger strike of a leech was revealed - 1.5 years.

But you don't have to think that leeches really starve like that in natural conditions. In the places where they live, a lot of animals are constantly found. The value of leeches is great. And there is evidence that some animals deliberately dive deep into the water so that these worms stick around them. They feel the benefits of leeches - after exposure to them, the state of he alth improves.

This data has not been verified, but if so, it turns out that hirudotherapy was discovered by a person during the observation of animals. For example, this is how the beneficial properties of many medicinal plants were discovered - a person watched how the "smaller brothers" were treated. Do not rule out the possibility that the same thing happened with these worms.

Medical leeches often migrate, looking for a new area with rich prey. They move across fairly large bodies of water. Thus, the place of feeding and breeding of leeches is constantly changing.

Threats

Don't assume that these worms are safe in their natural environment. There is evidence of countless opponents of worms that interfere with the reproduction of leeches, their hunting and a quiet life. For example, a person drains a lot of swamps, their habitat.

Worms are hunted by animals that actively hunt invertebrates. We are talking about water rats, desmans. Sometimes the reproduction of leeches is prevented by waterfowl, catching them and eating them. They are often disturbed by aquatic insects - dragonfly larvae and bedbugs. Such "pirates" are capable of attacking many inhabitants of water bodies.

How reproduction happens

Remarkable is the fact that leeches are hermaphrodites. They have both male and female reproductive organs. Reproduction occurs sexually. The roles of male and female change. Fertilized eggs complete maturation in a special cocoon, which is attached tobody of a leech. Some varieties of these annelids leave such cocoons on algae and stones. Sometimes they bury them in the ground. Someone bears the eggs until their final formation. Usually the larvae are born after a month or two.

Interesting facts

The length of one of the largest leeches in the world is 30 centimeters. Blood after a bite of an annelids may not stop for several hours, and sometimes days. People started breeding leeches in Wales. It was from here that the supply of leeches began around the world.

Before, they collected worms simply - taking off their shoes, people walked along the reservoirs, and then took off the leeches from themselves. And not a single doctor in past centuries could do without leeches. They have always been involved in the treatment. Avian varieties of these annelids are known.

About the past of leeches

One hundred years ago, these annelid worms were considered the "red corner" in the first aid kit. They were most popular in French first-aid kits. Thus, information has been preserved that during the time of Napoleon, about 6,000,000 annelids were transported to the country to treat his soldiers.

The same methods of treatment were popular among Russian doctors. They saved the military during the fighting. For example, N. I. Pirogov himself wrote how he put "from 100 to 200 leeches." And even in the presence of the smallest tumors, these worms were used. Also, V. I. Dal put 25 leeches to the mortally wounded Pushkin. As a result, his fever decreased, and this became hope, as the doctor himself noted.

It should be noted that doctors have been addicted to leeches without any justified reason. And this often became the reason for discrediting hirudotherapy. It was only towards the end of the 19th century that people began to study how leeches actually affect the human body. In many respects, Russian scientists made a contribution to such research. It was they who were the first to analyze the composition of the saliva of these annelids. This was followed by a detailed study of the effect of this composition on humans.

Remarkably, hirudin was the first material used in these studies. Until that moment, it was believed that annelids suck out “bad” blood from a person. But now it turned out that hirudin has its own special effect on the body.

At the same time, the scientists of antiquity were right about something - bloodletting is indeed an indispensable remedy for high blood pressure. But it turned out in the end that the saliva of these annelids has the most valuable effect. In one session, it provides a person with more than a hundred biologically active compounds. They act against inflammation, provide activation of capillary circulation.

This leads to the fact that pain in the heart muscle in a person quickly disappears, swelling goes away, blood circulation is restored. In fact, each leech is a small factory for the production of biologically active compounds. It turned out that in fact, the healing effect is achieved not by pumping out blood, but rather by injecting useful substances and nutritional compounds. It is important to note,that essentially annelids play the role of disposable syringes. After a single use, the leech is destroyed in accordance with medical requirements.

In the treatment of ailments

Hirudotherapy is used in the treatment of cardiovascular diseases. These include hypertension, angina, heart failure. In addition, ulcers, wounds, mastitis, abscesses, varicose veins are treated with leeches. It turned out that the use of these annelids is also relevant in the treatment of gynecological diseases, urological, ophthalmic, inflammation of the sinuses, ears, and so on. So, hirudotherapy is very effective for glaucoma.

It turned out that it is enough to simply get rid of boils and carbuncles when using leeches. Thrombosis in the veins, the brain - all these dangerous diseases can also be corrected with the use of leeches. Often, antibiotics in the treatment of these diseases are powerless, but a couple of leeches gave a striking effect. In addition, annelids are used in the treatment of arthrosis.

In the course of research, it turned out that the use of leeches has a positive effect on the nervous tissue. Hirudotherapy began to be used in the treatment of children with cerebral palsy. Each patient felt relief when using leeches. One of the patients, by the end of the fifth month of treatment with methods involving leeches, was able to move independently. A film was subsequently made about this.

Of course, hirudotherapy can never be a panacea for all ailments. But it doesn't make senserefuse such treatment. At the moment, someone considers such methods old, and someone - exotic.

Currently

One of the reasons that hirudotherapy is not so widespread in the country now is the rather small number of medical annelids in the country. Their populations have significantly decreased, leeches are listed in the Red Book. And it does not help to keep their numbers. The reservoirs that serve as dwellings for them disappear. They are grown on special farms.

Tip

When planning to use leeches in treatment, it is important to remember that only a professional hirudotherapist can prescribe a full course. Only then will therapy with this method be effective. Already after a couple of sessions, the patient will feel relief when using leeches in the treatment of many ailments. Most often, two or three sessions of properly performed hirudotherapy are enough.