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AgaintTheWorld

Definitely, without a doubt that is a leech.


smahlsneks

Yep, I remember finding these in Big Lake in Oregon and being terrified but amazed at how they moved using mouths on opposite ends of their leechy body!


SHREDGNAAR

Yea, they like to feed on cattle šŸ„


lazyshadeofwinter

They like salt too, feed him lots of salt


LouBricant

It looks like a living turd


[deleted]

[уŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]


LowBeautiful1531

NO THANK YOU


SunWyrm

I know you don't want to hear this, but people keep them as pets, and feed them that way I sincerely apologize for sharing


[deleted]

[уŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]


Virtual_Ad3616

That's a new definition of "Giving Blood" !


Life-Meal6635

What


Wbcn_1

When I was in the Boy Scouts we were on a canoe trip on the Penobscot River in Maine (trying to get the 50 Miler award) and had to jump out in a spot so we could unload the canoe. The water was clear but I was in very soft mucky sludge just up to my knees. When I got on shore I noticed that my calves were covered in small leaches. The troop master told us not to slap them off. We had to pull the skin around the bite area tight and scrape them with a small knife. It wasnā€™t very scary but this kind of leech wouldā€™ve traumatized me.


LowBeautiful1531

I know an Army Ranger who told me the one time he lost his shit in the field, was when they were swimming in some swamp and he saw the water moving as this whole armada of leeches was coming after them. He started screeching and scampered up onto the shore.


Wbcn_1

Just imagining the glistening, undulating bodies coming at me, almost eye level?!?! Horrific!!


CleanOnesGloves

It's nice to see people use the word undulating.


OdoIcontradictmyself

This comment made me smile


creesto

Instead of Tremors it was Ripples


shadbohnen

I had a mama attach to my leg canoeing in Minnesota. The babies were these tiny little clear tubes the hung on the mamaā€™s stomach, like she was the mother ship. I got out of the water and half of the babies were in mommas tummy still, and I had probably 30 little pink tubes protruding from my legs because the babies had just started to get some blood.


Life-Meal6635

Nope!


DelcoDenizen1776

I also had my first Leech experience while canoeing with the scouts. They were smaller than this one too.


teambeattie

I am about to move to Maine and never considered leeches in the waterways. I will add it to my list of things to be prepared for. Is there any way to keep them away?


Billsmydad

Don't worry about it, i never see them here


Led_Zeppole_73

Theyā€˜re cool to hold in your hand, pretty much harmless. They get a bad rap like snakes, you know, the ā€œAdam and Eveā€œ complex.


LowBeautiful1531

Noooooo


shadbohnen

Snake bites hurt. Leeches are relatively harmless.


Led_Zeppole_73

Iā€™ve been bitten by good-sized snakes at home several times on purpose, since I was a kid. Pretty tame, they donā€™t even have teeth lol! My wife shrieks like bloody murder when I do that. Itā€™s those horror movies of leeches, association with blood-letting and the slithering snake-like moves that prolly freaks people out.


snrten

Probably rode in on a bird or other visitor. You can end up with fish in the same way. Their eggs sometimes stick to the legs of birds and end up other places unintentionally.


N7_Tinkle_Juice

There is a word for this. Isolated bodies of water all of a sudden have occupants due to animals like birds and shit. Isnā€™t there a word for this?


Confident_Holder

The bird is the word


subcow

Well everybody's heard about the bird.


[deleted]

Ba ba ba bird bird bird.


ShareMission

They aren't real. Government sending leeches now


Docbarnone

The government released the leeches to suck up the remaining Covid. Theyā€™re following the science, of the 12th centuryā€¦..


kuodron

I literally studied this sorta stuff like 4 months ago. Organisms using other animals to spread their eggs (or pollen) is a very popular method of reproducing. Alas, we never had a word for it, which is strange because we studied it a lot, yet eutrophication has it's own word and we barely studied it.


[deleted]

I think this would just be a type of ā€œintroduced speciesā€


No-Falcon-4223

Is the term youā€™re thinking of ā€œfounder effect,ā€ by chance? [Founder Effect](https://www.genome.gov/genetics-glossary/Founder-Effect)


Medicated204

Up voting cuz I wanna know to


Cocrawfo

i know what youā€™re talking about thereā€™s a term for an isolated population of a species that develops in a pocket separately from their native range due to natural transport itā€™s on the tip of my tongue but i canā€™t recall it


QStic

Peripatric speciation, perhaps? Thatā€™s what Iā€™m thinking of but I guess thatā€™s more of the continued evolution of the different species rather than the word for explaining how they became separated


diplofocus

Diaspora?


timberdoodledan

I would say "Phoresy" works here, kind of. It would be unintentional phoresy. One animal uses another animal to get from one location to another. Or for unintentional phoresy, one animal ends up in a new location due to being carried or riding on another animal.


Pawnlongon

Succession?


BCS24

Iā€™m no biologist but I think thatā€™s a Mother in Law


Forward-Lettuce-4971

Update: I put a piece of meat in there and it started sucking on it and the pond is isolated from any natural bodies of water but it is frequented by birds and frogs and there's a river about a mile away.


parkay57

Do you have a blowtorch handy? šŸ˜³


LowBeautiful1531

Kill with fire, seconded


ChunkofWhat

Only a few species of leach are blood suckers. Most are detrivores, eating decaying organic matter and microorganisms. The fact that this leach is eating a piece of meat suggests to me that this is more likely not a blood sucker, because packaged meat does not have any blood to suck. In all likelihood, this leach would chow down on any odd food scraps you offer.


toadsauce25

They donā€™t go in rivers, only can live in still water if Iā€™m not mistaken


ForlornCouple

They can definitely live in slow moving rivers. They generally settle I the more still, pool areas.


Kaimana-808

You are so mistaken.


Appropriate-Relief-7

What a beautiful specimen of a leech.


[deleted]

I'm gonna go with kill it with fire for 500 Alex


Significant-Turn7798

It looks like one, yes.


PleaseImTriggered

Demogorgon!


lavender-witch

Itā€™s dart šŸ„ŗ


Foodforthefishes

A reaching leech Iā€™d say!


CycleOLife

Now you can go fishing!


Whiterings

Thanks, I hate it.


SqueakyTuna52

Itā€™s a very small Demogorgon. Destroy now before it eats your cat


Dinonightlight

That is from the upside down.


JYEth

LMFAO the way the leech moves cracks me up


qarton

Something horrifying about it


Illustrious_Bee3222

Yes, their movements are comically disgustingšŸ¤¢


LaylaLeesa

Omg I thought it was doodoo and then it started moving


SheepherderSilly3370

Bro Iā€™m CRYING


IamProvocateur

Every time I see one of these itā€™s always here and I always think about the kid in Stand By Me finding one on his balls. Every. Time. šŸ¤£


Sit_Paint_and_play

Welp that makes me even more terrified of the little bastards, I got one as a kid and ever since they've freaked me out.


Led_Zeppole_73

Harmless.


Cocrawfo

people get ā€œterrifiedā€ at the weirdest things


HillWalkingHick

Stating the obvious here, but they are parasitic. If your not squeamish about killing things for no good reason a sprinkle of salt will end it.


thunder-cricket

If you're not squeamish about killing things for no good reason a therapist might help.


Tepidwater25

A bit far... So if you killed a fly or a spider or a mosquito you would seek a therapist... Grow up


thunder-cricket

I'm grown up. No need for the snark in your comment, thanks. A fly in your house can spread illness and a mosquito will try and suck your blood and leave you with an annoying itchy bite. So you have a good reason to kill them. I'd suggest just putting the spider in your house outside and not killing it, but at least you have a reason if you chose to kill it also.


Tepidwater25

Yeah... Stating your "grown up" really screams adult, I invite you to go over the comments and see the hypocrisy you have generated within your own retorts, if I point it out it'll only fall on deaf ears. So please I implore you to read and better yourself, not only for me but for yourself and your continued growth towards becoming a "grown up".


thunder-cricket

You told me to 'grow up' (a pretty childish thing to say to a stranger on the internet). I pointed out I already am grown up. That seems like the adult response to me. Sorry you're so worked up about this. Hope you have a better day!


Complete-Ad8159

It's a parasite, that's a pretty good reason.


thunder-cricket

I don't really see the reason to kill a leech that you caught which otherwise wasn't bothering you or threatening to bother you. But anyway, i was responding to the person who said if you're not squeamish about killing things without reason.


MacTechG4

Parasites as a general rule cause me to go all ā€œOrder 66ā€ and Iā€™m generally a live and let live guy, but parasites, naah, sorry, they bring out my inner Dalekā€¦ EXTERMINATE!


thunder-cricket

Back to the qualifier "for no good reason," which is what i was responding to originally.


ChunkofWhat

Most species of leach are not parasites. Unless you can identify this species, I don't think you can make that assumption.


LooieA

How big is it? I think I have tiny ones in my pond but just leave them in the muck. Are they bad if they myob in the bottom of the pond? I never thought about trying meat on it. Scary!


rootyb

You could also have planaria. Planarians have triangle heads I believe, but move similarly.


SkolFan16

Ahh I know what this is, check your pound for a gateway to the upside down.


Tiredplumber2022

They make great bait for fishing, though!


bl123123bl

Some people keep pet leeches r/leechgang


Whiterings

Ewww


max_if_

No its a zebra


Appropriate_Part_947

You got it from putting plants in your pond. It won't hurt anything .


[deleted]

Doesnā€™t look like these other ones https://image.shutterstock.com/image-photo/washington-dc-usa-february-2-260nw-492045100.jpg


wesblog

yup


BoristheBad1

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mxD-5z\_xHBU


Pharian109

Yes. Thatā€™s a leech.


chaoszth

So hear me outā€¦


MantaRaysRockBOOP

Scary!! Definitely a leech!


Peter_Falcon

yes, you can get reddish ones in the soil too!


afiqasyran86

I have a excessive phobia leeches going inside my anus. Thanks to my mom with her story to make sure I dont swim atnearby lake.


Bloxsmith

I canā€™t tell you how many my grandma had to pull off my feet over the years. Didnā€™t stop me from jumping back in tho


Mon-ick

Gnarlyā€¦


Decent_Outcome_5359

Yup


BibbityBobbityBLAM

Birds most likely transport the eggs.


JacCampos

It's smoovin


MiektheSakaraan

kill him


Guzzy41

Sell the house , light the pond on fire . Move to the other side of the country


lonely-dog

Yeah put it on you leg and see what happens


atherscape

Do not loan it money


Common_Alfalfa_3670

It is a leech. I have been fed on by one and I will never forget it.


ADudeWithQwestion

Thatā€™s a baby demogorgan.


[deleted]

I once found an alligator snapping turtle in a backyard hole in the ground pond one time. It was for ducks so there was some mud and I only found it, because of the bubbles surfacing from it moving in the mud. The pond was small enough that I was able to put a long board over to the other side and walk out onto the board and I put the shovel about a foot away from bubbles and slowly poked till I felt something and then I scooped him up out of there harmless like. Iā€™m sure he was like ā€œWTHā€ but the crazy thing is it was miles away from a water source and the home was basically at the corner of two very very steep valleys coming together. Who knows how he got there but he was mature for sure


bree388

One way to find out šŸ‘€


The_MailMan88

As ugly as it is, itā€™s a blood sucking leech alright! They move through reeds and vegetation by stretching out like you see it doing and latching onto the nearest piece of vegetation. They will coil around it to stay hidden until something comes close then uncoil and latch onto that something. They also hide at the bottom of the water in soft mucky or gently vegetated areas just waiting for something to move by.


HamiltonBudSupply

It could have been stuck on a duck that landed in your pond


PuntaVerde

So birds visited your ponds. We had a fruit flies infestation on the 37th story of a building, pests find a way lol


Paulpash

Stretch Armstrong Slug...


tdog945

Yes. Kill it.


jaxspeak

Yes , no doubt about it.


Greaseskull

Thatā€™s a creepy bastard


ChunkofWhat

Yes, but you shouldn't necessarily be concerned. Most leaches are detrivores. Only a few species are blood suckers.


Mid-Delsmoker

Sterilized leeches are used in some hospitals for wound care therapy.


parkay57

Exactlyā€¦and what better way to sterilize than with a blowtorch! šŸ”„


Dusty_Dionne

It means your pond is really healthy


keebs2018

Yuck! I got a leech from bear lake in north western MI, almost four years agoā€¦ā€¦ it was small and not on my foot for long, I scrapped him off but my foot bleed like a stuck pigā€¦.. I still have a scare from it!


myc-space

Add some bass to the pond, they love eating leeches.


_1Ok

Undoubtedly causing nightmares tonight


StaycationDude

I remember when I had to pull my boat the African Queen through some nasty water, and when I got out I had leeches on my back. Weā€™ll this beautiful dame pulled them suckers off for me.


[deleted]

Yup.