Photos of the Week: What the Heck is That?
What the heck is that? Possibly a colony of freshwater bryozoans. Aldrich Lake, Granby. Photo: Jocelyn Ford
This scifi-looking blob was spotted on Aldrich Lake in Granby on July 7, 2025. Google Images and inaturalist have identified it as a likely colony of the freshwater bryozoans. Freshwater bryozoans are microscopic aquatic invertebrates that live in colonies that can form into jelly-like clumps, and are often found attached to docks or sticks. Bryozoan colonies can be as big as one foot (30 centimeters) in diameter. The base of each tiny bryozoan is attached to a surface. Its body has an outer sleeve-like structure called the cystid, and a mass of organs called polypide that moves inside of it. The US Army Corps of Engineers says that the presence of bryozoans is an indicator of a healthy lake.
Our feature, Photo of the Week, presents each week, a new picture by a local photographer. We invite local photographers to share their photographs here. Please include a description/caption and an indication of who is to be credited.
