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 leeches' lifestyle is associated with small swamps that are overgrown with reeds and other herbs.
Description
Leeches are parasites. Their body has a ring structure. It is noteworthy that once it was 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. For this, a person is engaged in the cultivation of special worms in laboratories.
Habitat
They prefer to be close to the shores, burying themselves here in silt. They hide under the stones, in the 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 bodies of water, in rice fields and in lakes. A number of medical leeches reproduce in the riverine environment. But here they need a quiet backwater, they don’t like running water too much.
About mobility
In many ways, the reproduction and development of leeches is associated with the weather. When it worsens, they are not so active. However, when the sun peeks out and there is no wind, they become especially active. They like the warm weather, the heat. In Georgia, as you know, they can be on land for a long time. At the same time, leeches are nourished in plants or run away from dried ponds.
The arid climate is not terrible for them; in such conditions they can go into long hibernation. And as soon as the heat begins, they bury themselves in silt and remain numb. If the pond dries completely, they wake up briefly, dig even deeper and continue to sleep.
With the end of the drought and the filling of the terrain with moisture, they wake up and dig out of the silt. Sometimes this is how they spend the entire summer, autumn and winter. For the most part, this is how the life of the Persian therapeutic leeches of the Caucasus proceeds. This variety has adapted to similar living conditions with frequent droughts.
About breeding
Since very often the reproduction and development of leeches depends on climatic conditions, the terrain in which they live affects this part of life. Most often, in suitable weather, they mate at the end of the summer period. If the 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 September. After that, the worms are buried in silt and soil to hide there from the coming cooling. Autumn and winter negatively affect the condition of these worms. They are in hibernation, which resembles summer.
When young individuals appear after the leech breeding season, they begin to attack frogs, tadpoles, and fish. Thus they hunt, being parasites in these creatures. The real "owners" of such worms are large animals. But in their absence, leeches use amphibians. Leeches usually cling to their victims when they come to a watering place. If possible, worms stick to people.
Food
At first, everything may look like these worms spend most of their lives on a hunger strike, hiding in silt. This is only partially 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 supplies from the stomach and intestines.
They do not need a constant flow of blood. They digest blood for two weeks. And quite without much discomfort, an adult worm can do without food for five to ten weeks. Sometimes they starve for 6 months. The maximum duration of a leech hunger strike was revealed - 1.5 years.
But one does not have to think that leeches really do so starve in nature. In the places where they live, many animals are constantly found. The value of leeches is great. And there is evidence that some animals deliberately deeply immerse themselves in water so that these worms encircle them. They feel the benefits of leeches - after their exposure, their health improves.
Such data have not been verified, but if so, it turns out that hirudotherapy was discovered by a person during the observation of animals. For example, it was in this way that the beneficial properties of many medicinal plants were discovered - a person watched what the "little brothers" were treated with. Do not exclude the possibility that the same thing happened with these worms.
Medical leeches often migrate, looking for a new area with rich prey. They move along fairly large bodies of water. Thus, the place of feeding and breeding of leeches is constantly changing.
Threats
Do not assume that these worms are not in danger in the natural environment. There are data on countless adversaries of worms that interfere with the reproduction of leeches, their hunting and a quiet life. For example, a person drains many swamps, their habitat.
Animals that actively hunt invertebrates conduct their worm hunts. We are talking about water rats, desman. Sometimes breeding leeches prevent waterfowl, catching them and eating. They are often disturbed by water insects - dragonfly larvae and bugs. Such "pirates" are able to attack many residents of the reservoirs.
How does reproduction occur?
Remarkable is the fact that leeches are hermaphrodites. They possess both male and female genital organs. Reproduction occurs sexually. The roles of the female and male are changing. Fertilized eggs complete maturation in a special cocoon, which is fixed on the body of a leech. Some varieties of these annelids leave such cocoons on algae and stones. Sometimes they bury them in the ground. Someone bears eggs until they are finally formed. Usually, 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 a ringed worm may not stop for several hours, and sometimes even days. People started breeding leeches in Wales. It was from here that deliveries of leeches around the world began.
Previously, they collected worms simply - taking off their shoes, people walked on ponds, and then removed leeches from themselves. And not a single doctor in past centuries did without leeches. They have always been involved in treatment. Bird species of these annelids are known.
About the past leeches
A hundred years ago, these annelids were considered the "red corner" in the medicine cabinet. Most popular they were in French first-aid kits. So, information has been preserved that during Napoleon, about 6, 000, 000 annelids were transported to the country to treat his soldiers.
The same treatment methods were popular among Russian doctors. They saved the military during the fighting. For example, NI Pirogov himself wrote how he put "from 100 to 200 leeches." And even with the smallest tumors, these worms were used. Also V.I. Dahl put 25 leeches to the mortally wounded Pushkin. As a result, his fever decreased, and this became a hope, as the doctor himself noted.
It should be noted that physicians were fond of leeches for no good reason. And this often became the cause of discrediting hirudotherapy. And it was not until the end of the 19th century that people began to study how leeches actually affect the human body. In many ways, Russian scientists made a contribution to such studies. They 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.
It is noteworthy that hirudin was the first material that was used in the course of these studies. Until that moment, it was believed that annelid worms suck out "bad" blood from a person. But now it turned out that hirudin has a special effect on the body.
At the same time, in some ways, the scientists of antiquity were right - bloodletting is indeed an indispensable tool with 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 disappears, 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 nutrients. It is important to note that, in fact, 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 pectoris, 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, with inflammation of the sinuses, ears and so on. So, hirudotherapy for glaucoma is very effective.
It turned out that it is quite simple to get rid of boils and carbuncles when applying leeches. Thrombosis in the veins, the brain - all these dangerous diseases can also be corrected by applying 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 relieved with leeches. One of the patients by the end of the fifth month of treatment with methods including leeches, managed to move independently. This was subsequently made a film.
Of course, hirudotherapy can never be a panacea for all ailments. But it makes no sense to abandon this method of treatment. At the moment, someone considers such methods to be old, and someone - exotic.
At this moment
One of the reasons that hirudotherapy is not so widespread in the country now is a rather small number of medical annelids in the country. Their populations were significantly reduced; leeches were listed in the Red Book. And this does not help to maintain their numbers. Ponds that serve as their home disappear. They grow them on special farms.
