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Informational Links > Bryozoa: The "Jelly Clumps" Seen in The Lake


18 Jul 2017

 

In response to recent reports of  the large clumps of jelly-like creatures spotted floating throughout the lake, we have provided below some facts and information regarding these organisms. Their scientific name is Bryozoa. The ones found in our lake belong to the class of bryozoans called Phylactolaemata. They are harmless filter feeding, freshwater, invertebrates that multiply and form colonies, creating those unsightly “globs of jelly”. Although gross in appearance, they are often a sign of a healthy aquatic system as they don't exist in unhealthy waters. They reproduce both sexually and asexually and form colonies. This is why one boat, dock, or pier can be covered in them. They tend to appear once water temperatures rise during summer months and will go away as the water begins to cool again. The only “treatment” for gathering on your boat or dock is to just knock them off. If they are encountered free floating in the water we ask that you not disturb them. However, residents may dispose of the globs found in swim areas or washed up on shore. Click the following link for more information: http://blogs.thatpetplace.com/thatfishblog/2012/10/31/the-blob-in-your-back-yard-bryozoans-in-backyard-ponds/#.WWaJ6YFOlnE

Hide-A-Way Lake Club, Inc.  *  601-798-1484  *  Fax 601-798-0604
P.O. Box 1011  *  Picayune, MS  39466