I have never seen a Leech before, although they are reported to be common. This photo was taken at a shady muddy pond in Centre Vale woodland at Todmorden I fished out an old Beech husk that seemed to have moving legs and found 2 Leeches underneath. Only about 10mm long but it quickly extended its body when it saw me looking at it! On closer inspection the whole pond was teeming with them.
Are they common in the valley?
In my back garden is a stream fed pool and there are lots of small black leech looking things in there. I hadn’t noticed them until I pulled something made of white plastic out and there were lots sticking to it.
We occasionally see small black leeches Phillip in the ponds at Cromwell Bottom when we’re looking for Amphibians. Annie and I found a largish white leech in a small clear stream at Sheddon Clough. We thought it might be a Lamprey at first with its obvious sucker-like mouth. For readers not famiiar with Sheddon Clough it’s just out of our area along the Burnley Old Rd. It’s interesting for lime-loving plants. The area once held limestone deposited by glaciation, mostly worked out in past centuries by the hushing method. We had a fascinating talk at the Halifax Scientific Society by a local historian who made a special study of the hushings in that area.
Thanks for the comment Steve. I have no knowledge of Leeches and their lifecycle; the only pictures I have seen are the black medical Leeches. The photos you emailed of ones at Sheddon clough are longer and more cylindrical than ones I saw. Something else to look into on a rainy day!
Lots of small black leeches in my garden pond
Lots of small black leeches living on the undersides of water lily leaves in the communal pond at Pellon Allotments site