Nature Watch Workshop yesterday was a lesson about WETLANDS and the importance of protecting the plants and animals in these magical spots. We walked back down to the labyrinth cove to check on the tadpoles, and I noticed a strange alien like pod growing on a submerged stick. My first thought was an egg pod of some type...but the size of it was puzzling.

I notice several more dotted around in the water. Truthfully, it looked like something from an outer space movie..especially since there were the crater like bream beds just behind it. (top pic) Bream will fan out circles in the mud with their tails and lay their eggs in the carters... and then protect them from predators. We pulled the stick with the glob attached to examine it closer. It was a very alien like pod...slimy and solid, not mushy..too big to be frogs eggs.... or fish eggs...very unusual.

My Internet search (starting with "alien like egg pods in lake") led me to a trail of other sightings..no, not extraterrestrial in nature, but MOSS ANIMALS in nature! Pectinatella magnifica... Bryozoans, to be exact! No, they are not harmful, in fact, they live only in very clean, unpolluted waters!

One article, http://www.millermicro.com/bryozoa.html describes them. It was a fun discovery, especially since we were talking about WETLANDS! Another Cabin Path lesson learned!