Invasive Quagga Mussels have been found at Rutland Water. More...

The BBC reports that the Environment Agency have found invasive Quagga Mussels at Rutland Water and in the River Trent in Lincolnshire. Quagga Mussels, which originate in the Ukraine, were first recorded in the UK in the River Thames in 2014. This mollusc forms large colonies on hard surfaces, which can block pipes and disrupt ecosystems by outcompeting native species. The Quagga Mussel can be hard to distinguish from the Zebra Mussel, which is already widespread in England and Wales and present in VC55, so we have updated our Identification Aids to help you tell the difference.