In all, there are around 500 species of leeches living on the planet today, but only 63 can be found in North America and 35 in Ontario.

Worms can cause irritation to the skin if prolonged periods of contact occur, but the irritation is likely from debris or dirt from the ground or the tiny little bristles on worms’ skin that can prick or stick to your skin. This type of skin irritation is rarely cause for concern.

Earthworms don’t actually bite, but their skin can cause major irritation on human skin if contact last more than a few minutes. The irritation is not a result of the actual worm skin but rather the materials that worms pick up as they writhe, wriggle, and borough inside the earth and along the ground.

While leeches are not known to transmit disease, they can cause irritation and other allergic reactions in hosts as well as an infection or blood poisoning. In addition, a leech bite can bleed for hours if not treated. First, you must remove the leech by pushing the leech off the skin from the skinny end.

Leeches are classified according to the different ways they feed. Some leeches have powerful jaws, while others are jawless. Some simply feed, while others swallow prey whole.

There are literally thousands of different types of worms on the earth. Some can be found in just about any garden or backyard, while others may be found buried beneath the sand on hundreds of beaches overseas.