Here's the second post in our series about real life wildlife vampires....

Mosquitoes

For mosquitoes, it’s the ladies who are the bloodsuckers.  Both sexes feed on flower nectar as their main source of nutrients.  Only when she’s ready to reproduce does the female mosquito seek out a blood meal.  She needs the added protein boost in order to lay her eggs and create a whole new generation of lady vampires.

Lampreys

These eel-like creatures are something right out of science fiction horror.  Their disc-shaped mouths are filled with circles of razor-sharp teeth, which they use to bore into the flesh of their victims.  They can remain attached for days or even weeks, all the while sucking in blood and body fluids.  One species, the sea lamprey, has been introduced into the Great Lakes where it has become a problematic invasive exotic species.  This lamprey can grow to almost 2 feet in length and the native lake fish it feeds upon often don’t survive the draining.

VIDEO: Lampreys don't typically bother humans, but not always.

Even scary wildlife isn’t safe from habitat destruction, global warming, pollution and other human-caused problems. Read more about real life wildlife vampires at nwf.org/nationalwildlife.