Bloodfeeders

Bloodfeeders, or hematophages, are organisms that obtain nutrients by consuming the blood of vertebrate hosts. This feeding strategy is found across several groups, including many arthropods such as mosquitoes, ticks, fleas, bed bugs, and leeches, as well as a few vertebrates like vampire bats. Blood provides proteins and minerals essential for development and reproduction, but hosts commonly mount immune and wound-healing responses that can limit feeding success.

Most bloodfeeders use specialized mouthparts to access blood. They typically insert feeding structures into the skin or tissue and may inject saliva containing anticoagulants, vasodilators, and anesthetic compounds to facilitate feeding and reduce host detection. Feeding durations vary from seconds to hours. In many species, only females take blood, because blood-derived nutrients support egg production, whereas males often feed on nectar or plant sap.

Ecology and disease significance are major aspects of bloodfeeding. When feeding, these organisms interact closely with hosts and can transmit pathogens such as malaria parasites, dengue and Zika viruses, Lyme disease bacteria, plague-causing agents, and sleeping sickness parasites, depending on the lineage. Hematophagy also influences host behavior and population dynamics, with heavy infestations potentially causing anemia or discomfort.

Control and prevention rely on integrated approaches, including bed nets and repellents to reduce contact, environmental management to minimize breeding sites, and targeted insecticides. Research on bloodfeeders continues to explore their physiology, host cues, and pathogen transmission to improve public health and ecosystem understanding.