Question

When they don't have a human to feed on, these creatures are usually quite small. What is

their usual food source?

Answer 1

Their usual food source is blood, with a preference for mammals like rodents, birds, and other smaller animals.

Step-by-step explanation:

These creatures, commonly associated with myths and horror stories, are often depicted as blood-sucking entities. While the concept of creatures feeding on blood is widespread in folklore, the real-life counterparts are usually smaller organisms like mosquitoes, fleas, or ticks. These parasites rely on blood as their primary nutrient source. For instance, mosquitoes feed on the blood of various mammals, including humans, while ticks and fleas often target smaller animals like rodents and birds. The preference for smaller hosts is influenced by the ease of access to blood vessels and the reduced risk of detection or injury during feeding.

Blood is rich in nutrients, providing essential proteins and other compounds necessary for the survival and reproduction of these creatures. The feeding process typically involves the insertion of specialized mouthparts into the host's blood vessels, allowing the creature to extract the required nutrients.

The adaptation to a blood-based diet has evolved as an efficient strategy for obtaining the essential nutrients these creatures need to thrive. In summary, the usual food source for these creatures when humans are not available is blood, obtained from a variety of smaller mammals in their environment.

Answer 2

Answer: In the story, when the parasites don't have a human to feed on and these creatures are usually quite small, their usual food source comes from feathered creatures.

Step-by-step explanation:

Without human blood they are small, and they are of feathered creatures as shown in this quote: "These parasites of feathered creatures, diminutive in their habitual environment, reach enormous proportions under certain conditions." This specific parasite has been feeding off of the blood that belongs to Alicia, turning it into the horrendous way that it did, which is then learned on the final sections of the story.