Kari-Lynn Winters is the author of many books for young readers including Hungry for Science, Hungry for Math and Buzz About Bees. She is assistant professor in the Department of Teacher Education at Brock University in St Catharines.

Ishta Mercurio is a freelance writer and video blogger. She lives in southern Ontario.

Bloodsuckers don't have the best reputation, if those itchy mosquito bites from last summer have anything to say about them, but before you jump to any conclusions, these little pests are more than meets the eye. Everyone knows about high-jumping fleas, classic vampire bats, and shudder-inducing leeches, but how about blood-sucking birds, butterflies and snails? Did you know that only 15-20 percent of people react to bed bug bites? Or that there are bloodsuckers that feed on other bloodsuckers? And that even dinosaurs were bugged by bloodsuckers? Sink your teeth into the world of these important creatures!