information taken from the MPCA Secchi ReaderIn the past few years many Cullen Lakers have noticed a dramatic increase in the number of large snails along the shoreline and in swimming areas. Why is this happening?
According to the MPCA Secchi Reader's own Professor Lim Knowledgy,
any group of organisms
can undergo natural fluctuations that are difficult to make sense
of, though there may be a couple of possible answers in this case.
First, have you noticed increased vegetation or algae in your lake? Snails are grazers, eating plants and algae. So, if you have more vegetation, it means more snail food, which means more snails.
Another possible explanation is the very mild falls, winters, and springs of the last two or three years. This can lead to less seasonal die-off of snails, pushing the mature population beyond normal levels. So, if for several years you have unusually mild weather, you get more and more snails, leading to larger numbers of both living and dying snails. The dying snails can be a problem when they accumulate on the windward shores of lakes, where they can be very smelly.
If you want further clarification or have more questions, feel free
to call
Joel Chirhart, MPCA aquatic biologist, at 651-296-7210 or 1-800-657-3864.
