What Are Leeches Most Afraid Of? A Full Breakdown of Breeding Key Points
Speaking of leeches, they were simply a childhood nightmare, because our family grew rice, so in spring we had to go down into the fields to transplant seedlings, and at this time leeches would often mix in with the soft mud, quietly crawl onto your legs and suck your blood, and you might not even notice at all. Leeches are divided into three types, mainly land leeches, parasitic leeches, and water leeches, so what are they usually most afraid of? Some people also breed leeches specifically, so what are the key points of breeding?
1. What are leeches most afraid of?
As a mollusk, the leech is fairly afraid of salt, because it has no skin to protect its body, so it is very sensitive to salt. After salt is sprinkled on it, it will form a high-concentration salt water with the painful body fluids, and at this time it will cause the leech to undergo stress-induced contraction, the body fluids inside it seep out, and this mostly causes the leech to dehydrate and die.
If you are bitten by a leech in the wild or in the fields, do not pull it off with your bare hands, because this can easily leave part of its tissue in the skin, leading to problems such as wound infection. So we can try dripping high-concentration salt water onto the leech's body, and then it will let go of its sucker and, after losing water, immediately fall off.
2. What are the key points of leech breeding?
Leeches are also what we call medicinal leeches, and because they have certain medicinal value and can fetch a good price on the market, some farmers have entered this industry. So what are the key points of leech breeding? Let us take a look together below.
1. Choosing a breeding site
For breeding leeches, it is best to choose a place with convenient drainage and irrigation, facing south with its back to the north, sheltered from the wind, and with sufficient sunlight. The depth of the pond is about 1 m to 1.2 m, and the width of the pond is about 3 m. The specific length can be decided according to the size of the site. The bottom of the pond is grouted with cement, and it is best if it does not leak water. The diagonal corners of the pond should be set up as inlets, and the bottom should be higher in the north and lower in the south, which makes drainage and irrigation more convenient.
The surroundings of the pond are generally filled with sandy soil rich in humus, which is more conducive to the leeches laying eggs.
2. Pond water quality
If leeches are to grow smoothly, there must be good water quality and a growing environment suitable for them. Because the water quality density in artificial breeding is rather high, during the breeding process the water needs to be changed, so that pollution from pesticides and chemical fertilizers can be better prevented. In seasons with relatively high temperatures, the water inlet and outlet areas should generally be kept unobstructed, so that the water quality is fresh and has a certain oxygen capacity.
3. Choosing leech seed
The selection of leech seed requires individuals that are relatively plump and large, and it is best if they have good mobility, a smooth body surface, bright colors, and no injuries.
4. Overwintering of leeches
Leeches are very cold-tolerant, so they are not easily frozen to death. For artificially breeding leeches, straw should be used around the pond to keep them warm and help the leeches pass the winter smoothly.
The above is an introduction to the questions of what leeches are most afraid of and what the key points of breeding are. We hope it is helpful to you.