How do zebra mussels spread?
Female Zebra Mussels can each produce up to one million Veligers float in the water If they are unable to find a hard surface, the veligers will soon die. Veligers can be spread through a variety of methods including: water currents, bait and hatchery stocking activities, anglers bait bucket water, recreational boat engine cooling water and even scuba gear. Adult Zebra Mussels can spread by hitchhiking on organisms such as crayfish or by attaching to boat hulls trailered from one body of water to another. Biological & Ecological Impacts Zebra Mussels prefer water temperatures between 68 and 77 degrees Fahrenheit and have a life span of between 2-5 years. (see Life Cycle chart) Zebra Mussels can cause a variety of problems including: Zebra Mussels are filter feeders that consume large portions of the microscopic plants and animals that form the base of the food web. The removal of significant amounts of phytoplankton from the water can cause a shift in native species and a disruption of
