It’s Good to Know: Living Syringes
Zoo veterinarians have always found it difficult to draw blood from their animals. Large animals often need to be sedated first, and with small animals it is difficult to find a vein. But several zoos in Germany and England think they have found a solution. They are using blood-sucking insects ("kissing bugs") to draw the blood for them. The bugs are placed in a container, which is then pressed against the animal’s body. When the bug bites, it is scooped up into the container, and the vets have their sample.
(Source: Popular Science)
