AIS Mayflower Lake

Aquatic Invasive Species in Mayflower
Lake, Marathon Co.
Paul Skawinski– Regional AIS Education Specialist
Golden Sands RC&D
December 10th, 2013
Known Mayflower Lake AIS
• Curly-leaf pondweed (Potamogeton crispus)
(WDNR)
• Chinese mystery snail (Bellamya chinensis)
(2010)
• Banded mystery snail (Viviparus georgianus)
(2013)
• Purple loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria) (2010)
Marathon County AIS surveys
All Marathon County public lakes surveyed in 2010.
Surveys will be repeated in 2014.
Objectives:
Detect early populations of AIS
Map locations of these (GPS)
Involve interested lake residents
Work with residents to remove/control AIS
Create list of native plant species observed
Curly-leaf Pondweed
Potamogeton crispus
• Accidentally introduced as
aquarium plant (1880s)
• Fairly widespread – known in
517 water bodies (Dec 2013)
• Active from October-June in
most lakes
• Can form dense mats,
interfering with recreation
and native plants
Paul Skawinski
Paul Skawinski
Curly-leaf pondweed turions
Paul Skawinski
Curly-leaf pondweed turions
Chinese mystery snail
Bellamya chinensis
Operculum
Chinese mystery snail
Bellamya chinensis
Introduced as a food
item from Asia
Up to 3” tall
Banded mystery snail
Viviparus georgianus
Introduced via
aquarium dumping
Brown horizontal
bands on shell
Up to 1.5” tall
Purple Loosestrife
Lythrum salicaria
Paul Skawinski
• Imported from Europe for
gardens (late 1800s), also
seeds in ballast water
• Crowds out native wetland
species
• Spreads rapidly: >1 million
seeds annually, plus
vegetative spread
Purple Loosestrife ID
• Square stem (6-sided on old plants)
• Opposite or whorled leaves
• Leaf margins are smooth
• Flowers pink or purple in spike
arrangement, each with 6 petals
Paul Skawinski
Zebra Mussels
Dreissena polymorpha
• Ballast water introduction to the
Great Lakes in 1980’s
• Known from 178 WI inland lakes
(Dec 2013)
• Attach to any hard surface - may
reach tens of thousands per
square meter!
• Female can produce 1 million
eggs/season
• Filter feeders
Zebra Mussels
Dreissena polymorpha
Eaten on small scale by some animals
Currently no management options
Paul Skawinski
Paul Skawinski
Zebra Mussels
Dreissena polymorpha
Larvae are microscopic, free-floating
Can be attached to plants
Paul Skawinski
Eurasian Water-milfoil
Myriophyllum spicatum
• First found in WI in
1960s
• Currently known in 721
WI lakes (Dec 2013)
• Forms dense mats interferes with water
recreation
• Can spread from small
fragments
Eurasian Watermilfoil Spread
Eurasian Watermilfoil Spread
Uh oh
Eurasian Watermilfoil Spread
Eurasian Watermilfoil Spread
Eurasian Watermilfoil Spread
Adventitious roots
Northern watermilfoil
Myriophyllum sibiricum
Eurasian watermilfoil
Myriophyllum spicatum
Northern watermilfoil (M. sibiricum) at west end of Mayflower Lake
Paul Skawinski
Paul Skawinski
Look-alike native species
Coontail
Elodea
Paul Skawinski
Bladderworts
Monitoring is essential to prevention
 Get trained on identification of AIS and look-alike native
species
 Keep an eye out for AIS while fishing, boating, snorkeling,
etc.
 Know who to contact with questions or suspected AIS
specimens
 Finding invasives early is crucial for inexpensive, easy
management (eradication?)
Questions?
Paul Skawinski
AIS Education Specialist – Portage, Wood, Waupaca,
Waushara, Marathon Counties
Golden Sands Resource Conservation & Development
Council, Inc. (RC&D)
715-343-6278
Paul.Skawinski@goldensandsrcd.org