What does water-milfoil look like?

Eurasian water-milfoil has slender stems encircled by feathery leaves in groups. The plant stem is often reddish-brown. Look for 12-21 pairs of leaflets per leaf to help distinguish Eurasian water-milfoil from Northern water-milfoil, the most similar native milfoil.

What does Eurasian watermilfoil look like?

Identifying Eurasian watermilfoil can be tricky since it looks similar to native watermilfoils. Native watermilfoils usually have less than 12-14 leaflets on one side of the leaf, whereas Eurasian watermilfoil has more than 12-14 leaflets. Eurasian Watermilfoil has small reddish flowers above water in mid-summer.

Why is milfoil bad?

Water milfoil can quickly become a problem because it spreads rapidly forming mats of vegetation on the water surface. Milfoil mats can rob oxygen from the water by preventing the wind from mixing the oxygenated surface waters to deeper water and can also increase the sedimentation rate by trapping sediments.

Where does milfoil grow?

L. Myriophyllum spicatum (Eurasian watermilfoil or spiked water-milfoil) is native to Europe, Asia, and north Africa, but has a wide geographic and climatic distribution among some 57 countries, extending from northern Canada to South Africa.

How long does milfoil live out of water?

one week
Milfoil can survive out of the water for up to one week as long as it is kept moist, which is a major problem because milfoil can travel on a boat from lake to lake.

What animals eat milfoil?

Adult weevils primarily eat milfoil leaves, but will also consume stem tissues. This is the only stage of the weevil that can exit the water.

Why is Eurasian watermilfoil bad?

Since its growth is typically dense, Eurasian watermilfoil beds are poor fish spawning areas, and excessive cover may lead to populations of stunted fish. Dense surface mats can interfere with boating, fishing, swimming, and other forms of water recreation.

Can milfoil be eradicated?

Eurasian watermilfoil can be removed by raking or seining it from the pond, but will re-establish from any remaining fragments and roots. Fertilization to produce a phytoplankton or algal “bloom” prevents the establishment of most bottom rooted aquatic weeds and produces a strong food chain to the pond fish.