Quagga Mussel (Dreissena rostriformis bugensis)
Where did quagga mussel come from?
Quagga mussels, showing both the epilimnetic form and the profunda form.Credit: Mike Quigley, NOAA
Why is it a problem?
- Quagga mussels are native to the Dneiper River drainage of Ukraine.
- They most likely arrived in the ballast water of ocean going ships.
- The quagga mussel was first sighted in the Great Lakes in September 1989.
How do quagga mussels spread?
- Quagga are prodigious water filterers, thus removing substantial amounts of phytoplankton from the water and altering the food web.
- Quagga mussels clog water intake pipes and underwater screens much like zebra mussels.
- Quagga mussels damage boats, power plants, and harbors.
- They also destroy the native mussel population.
How do we control quagga mussels?
- Quagga mussels have spread through ballast waters from transalantic ships.
- Quagga mussels attach themselves to boat hulls and trailers and can be transported this way.
- Inspect and remove aquatic plants, animals, and mud from the boat and equipment before leaving the boat launch.
- Rinse your boat and equipment with high pressure and/or hot tap water.
Quagga musselsCredit: GLERL-NOAA