Zebra mussels have been the bain of existence for anglers, boaters, and fisheries officials since they first showed up in the late 1980s in the Great Lakes. But a scientist in Minnesota may have found a way to kill the mussels once and for all, and it’s all-natural and won’t kill anything else in the lake.
According to a report from Outdoor Hub, Dr. Daniel Molloy has found that a bacteria already found in the soil of lake beds to protect plant roots is lethal to the invasive species. Working with Marrone Bio Innovations, Mollow has developed a “biopesticide” called Zequanox, using that bacteria. The treatment is safe to all native species because they’ve already been living with the bacteria present in their habitats, but for zebra and quagga mussels, it destroys their digestive system and kills them.
All of the trials have been in a very controlled environment, but Molloy is hopeful that this will finally be the solution to get rid of this crippling invasive species without harming the habitat.
Via: Sportsmen Vote