Janitors of the mudflats!

  This afternoon, Mr. PJ and I made our way to the pier.  When we reached the spot where low tide creates massive mudflats, an unusual mass exodus was taking place.  Thousands upon thousands of nerite snails were slowly making their way from the water to the mudflats.  These usually cling to the pier posts, crab pots and boats and are not often found heading inshore.  At first this concerned me a bit as thoughts entered my head of the (not too long ago) oil spills that sent every critter into a bit of "getaway" frenzy.  What was up with this long trek for the tiny snails??

  As the old dog and I sat watching the snails (well, he napped, I watched), an answer to my question came to focus.  The snails were not actually going inshore but rather stopping on the mudflats due to their favorite food source was plentiful.  These snails feed on algae and even during high tide (when the flats are flooded) this secluded area is covered with algae.  Since the marsh grass has completely cut off the access route from the Bay, the small cut is dependent on water seeping through the marsh to fill it.  There is no tidal flow to clear out any algae growth so the spot has become completely clogged with the green blob. The bright sunshine has caused the stuff to flourish.

  The small nerites have come to feast upon their favorite food.  Word has gotten out that the "salad bar" of the mudflats is now open! Life on the flats is now dominated by nerites and fiddler crabs as nothing else can survive the clogged waterway.  Before this week, bull minnows, mosquito fish and mullet all sought refuge in the shallows and safety provided by the tide pool.  I could catch bait here with one throw of the net.  Not any more! My last throw caught me about thirty pounds of green slime!  Ok, little snails, feast away!  Eat that gunk out of the pool so the fish can breathe once again!  Do your cleanup job!  Ha!  Nerites...the janitors of the mudflats!  What an important job they have!