(St. Paul, MN) -- They're less than a quarter-inch long and look like globs of jelly with black spots, and there is new evidence of spiny waterfleas in Minnesota waters. The spiny waterflea, which can collect on fishing lines and other equipment, has been found in a new body of water in northern Minnesota. The invasive species was identified by a fisherman in Burntside Lake near Ely in recent days, sparking a renewed call for anglers to drain any water from their boats before transport. Spiny waterfleas affect ecological systems by eating native zooplankton, which is a food source for small fish. This particular invasive species has already turned up in Lake Superior as well as several other large lakes within northern and central Minnesota.
