Thanks db for the link. I went back to the search page and figured out what I did wrong so as not to get that thread as a result. Won't be making that mistake again.

Really sorry to hear they are in the Q. I was poking around on the web trying to find confirmed info about their natural predators. I came across a paper [ (You need to Login or Register to view media files and links) ] about research in Lake Maggiore (Italy) where they are native and which has experienced a huge population growth. About halfway in, there starts discussion of parthogenic females overwintering (something apparently not seen historically). Overall, the paper seems to be saying that the population growth is tied to warming of the lake. This isn't my field, but I looked up a lot of words and tried to remember the definitions long enough to return to the text. 

About the predators...apparently in Lake Maggiore, it is the coregonids that feed (or did feed, since their population decreased after a few years of warmer water in their typical layer and, I guess, pollution or acidification). I looked that up and it is Whitefish. Obviously, the european whitefish and the N. American are long separated, but, is there any evidence that Whitefish have been eating the spiny water fleas? And, if I were a more agile statistician and had more time, I might be downloading lake temperatures and seeing if there were any correlation to rise in spiny water flea population.

And, old_salt, yeah, count me in on being an invasive, too. 

I picked up a Spiny water flea map for Q lakes a year or two ago. It says they tested 47 lakes. Listed were Saganagons, Saganaga and the whole downstream route from French down to Tanner. While there were none detected in Bud, Fern and Olifaunt, they state a strong possibility exists that those are infested as well.

Old post:
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Infested is an interesting word that at my house at least is usually reserved for describing inlaws and children.. 

Puckster wrote on Jul 5^th, 2012 at 10:06pm:


We (at least you) are an invasive... 

Another example of the inexorable march of invasives.  Aaargh.

prouboy

They are in Q lakes as well.  I've had them on my line in Pickerel and Batch and found them in my gravity filter.

I believe they are hitch hikers and can be isolated b/c of it. As far as tips go, if any bunch up at your rod tip, take them off before starting the portage to the next lake. If not in the parks, wash equipment lakeside if possible or at home. don't transport water from livewells etc to other lakes.

When checking the data on the DNR lake finder site, I came across this: (You need to Login or Register to view media files and links) Apparently it is confirmed in Caribou. Obviously, I'll be taking precautions like they recommend; but, does anyone here have any additional stories or pointers?

Also, seems to me that if an undesirable is found in one place, it is likely to be in the next downstream body of water, too. Or are these things hitchhikers but not trippers?