A broad survey conducted across southern Asia reinforces the idea that the mammal biodiversity of an area can be determined by looking at the DNA found in leeches' blood meals. The new study also ...

Vampires get all the attention at this time of year, but bloodthirsty leeches, insects and birds are just as compelling — and they’re real. Leeches feeding on a homemade “blood sausage,” made from cow ...

Scientists have identified mammals present at sites in Asia by examining the DNA in the blood sucked by leeches. They found that the nearly 750 Haemadipsa (blood-sucking) leeches stored the DNA of a ...

You might think you know leeches: Go for a swim in the wrong shallow lake, and you’ll emerge covered in sleek black bloodsuckers that have decided you’re their next meal. But inside a leech, ...

Good news: A new species was discovered on the Atlantic Coast. Bad news: It’s a bloodsucking leech that feeds on humans with three jaws and as many as 59 teeth. In a recently published journal, ...

On July 29, 2008, Mark Siddall answered selected viewer questions about leeches large and small, the best way to remove one from your skin, whether he'd undergo leech therapy himself, and more. Please ...

Receive emails about upcoming NOVA programs and related content, as well as featured reporting about current events through a science lens. Mark Siddall: Dear Inge, Yes. Stay very very still. They are ...

Editor's Note: The video of leeches used in surgery is a bit bloody — especially after the 2-minute mark. Leeches get a bad rap — but they might not deserve it. Yes, they're creepy crawly ...