Why do they like to stick to hard things like bridges and boats?
They don’t want to get washed away, so when they find a good place with plenty of food and good water (oxygen, pretty clean, etc.), they want to stay put so they attach. 3. How do they attach to things? They use little sticky threads call a byssus, or byssal threads to attach to things. The byssus grows out of the “back” or hinge of the mussel. 4. What do they eat? Phytoplankton: very small plants, like algae, that float in the water. Zebra mussels are filter feeders they take in water and remove what food they want. Two important thing to note: Lots of zebra mussels can eat lots of food, so other animals might not have as much as they need, and what zebra mussels don’t eat, like zooplankton, or little floating animals, they wrap up in liquid and spit onto the river/lake bottom. Little insects and fish can’t eat this spit. So both eaters of phytoplankton and zooplankton may be impacted. 5. Is there anything in their shell? The shell is made up of lots of calcium and protein, kinda like
