Where does the marsh periwinkle live?
As their name suggests, marsh periwinkles are abundant in the marshes of the middle and lower Bay. They can be found on the stems of smooth cordgrass and other marsh plants growing between the high and low tide marks. Marsh periwinkles are also sometimes found on rocks and jetties. What does the marsh periwinkle eat? Marsh periwinkles feed on algae, bacteria and plant detritus. How does the marsh periwinkle reproduce? Marsh periwinkles lay individual eggs into the water. The eggs hatch into free-swimming larvae, which develop and appear as small snails in mid-summer. Other facts about the marsh periwinkle: • Scientists believe that marsh periwinkles climb the stems of marsh grasses to avoid predators like blue crabs. • Marsh periwinkles use a gill to get oxygen from the water. • Like other marine snails, marsh periwinkles have an operculum that protects it during cold weather.
