About Starry Trek
Started in 2017, Starry Trek is a statewide event focused on searching for one of Minnesota's newest aquatic invasive species, starry stonewort (and other invaders). Starry stonewort is an invasive algae that was first found in Lake Koronis in 2015 and has since spread to nineteen Minnesota lakes (learn more about starry stonewort and our research). This event is an opportunity for you to team up with us and hundreds of your fellow Minnesotans to better understand its distribution in Minnesota.
What You'll Do
You will meet at a local training site hosted by one of our local partners where you will receive a brief training on how to identify starry stonewort and other target aquatic invasive species and how to follow the search protocols. Groups are then sent out to nearby priority lakes to follow the protocols and bring back any suspicious organisms. Starry Trek is a free event and no experience or special equipment is required. Participants under the age of 18 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.
How You'll Make a Difference
Starry Trek volunteers have discovered new populations of starry stonewort. Follow-up surveys by Minnesota DNR specialists confirmed these new findings in Lake Carnelian (Stearns County, 2020), Wolf Lake (Hubbard County, 2018) Lake Beltrami (Beltrami County, 2018) and Grand Lake (Stearns County, 2017). As a result of the Grand Lake discovery, the local lake association and MN DNR teamed up in a rapid response plan to remove the small patch of starry stonewort. Other notable finds by Starry Trek participants include the discovery of a new populations of Eurasian watermilfoil in Winona County (2017) and Aitkin County (2019) and a new zebra mussel population in Dakota County (2018). Over 200 Minnesotans have joined in this effort and searched over 200 public water accesses each year since our inaugural event in 2017.
Background
Starry Trek is organized by the Minnesota Aquatic Invasive Species Research Center and University of Minnesota Extension in partnership with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. Funding for Starry Trek is provided in part by the Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund. Starry Trek is held in coordination with AIS Snapshot Day, an aquatic invasive species search event held in Wisconsin on the same day hosted by the River Alliance of Wisconsin, University of Wisconsin Extension, and Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources.
Recap: Starry Trek 2023
Thank you so much for participating in Starry Trek 2023! No new starry stonewort discoveries were made during Starry Trek this year. In fact there were no new prohibited invasive species found during Starry Trek at all this year this year! Shortly after Starry Trek, DNR did make an announcement of the discovery of starry stonewort in Clearwater Lake (Wright County). This lake was not among those monitored during Starry Trek.
Each year we also get several new reports of invasive mystery snails that are not yet in the EDDMapS database (a nationwide invasive species reporting system). Not all of these are previously unknown populations, however many of these helped update the database, which is used by DNR and many other agencies to track populations of invasive species, so their discovery and reporting is still important and beneficial. And some are likely the first time that species has been reported in that water body as well! This year, 10 new invasive mystery snail reports were made thanks to Starry Trek.
There were also some fun discoveries brought in by a couple groups of participants. For example, in Cass County, the group monitoring Pleasant Lake brought back some things that looked like squishy, dark green grapes. These were likely Nostoc (sometimes called Mare’s eggs), a type of cyanobacteria that grows in colonies that form gelatinous blobs. Also, a group in Ramsey County brought back a bladderwort! These are fun and unique plants because they’re carnivorous (kind of like an aquatic venus fly trap!)
Below, you will find a list of samples that were passed on to MN DNR for verification or identification and the final determination. Locations are listed by the local training site they were returned to. If there was a specimen you were particularly interested in at your site and you don't see it listed here, feel free to reach out and we’ll see if we can help get to the bottom of it! You can click the links below to view the report for new AIS reports or to learn more about the native species submitted.
Aitken County
- Snail samples from Dam Lake were determined to be banded mystery snails, a new report for this lake
- Additional snail samples from Dam Lake were determined to be Chinese mystery snails, which had previously been reported in this lake
- Snail samples from Mille Lacs Lake were determined to be both banded mystery snails and Chinese mystery snails, both of which have previously been reported in Mille Lacs
- Snail samples from Farm Island Lake were determined to be Chinese mystery snails, a new report for this lake
- Additional snail samples from Farm Island Lake were determined to be banded mystery snails, which had previously been reported in this lake
- Snail samples from Lone Lake were determined to be Chinese mystery snails, a new report for this lake
- Snail samples from Clear Lake were determined to be both banded mystery snails and Chinese mystery snails, both of which have previously been reported in Mille Lacs
Bemidji
- Snail samples from Island Lake were determined to be banded mystery snails, a new report for this lake
Big Lake
- Snail samples collected from Ann Lake were determined to be Chinese mystery snails, a new report for this lake.
Detroit Lakes
- Snail samples from Perch Lake were determined to be Chinese mystery snails, a new report for this lake
Eagan
- Plant samples from Lake Isabelle were determined to be a native vascular plant
- Snail samples returned from Keller Lake were determined to be Chinese mystery snails, which have been previously reported in this lake
- Snail samples returned from Jensen Lake were determined to be Chinese mystery snails, which have been previously reported in this lake
- Snail samples returned from Rogers Lake were determined to be Chinese mystery snails, which have been previously reported in this lake
- Snail samples returned from Orchard Lake were determined to be Chinese mystery snails, which have been previously reported in this lake
- Snail samples returned from Farquar Lake were determined to be Chinese mystery snails, which have been previously reported in this lake
- Snail samples returned from Valley Lake were determined to be Chinese mystery snails, which have been previously reported in this lake
- Snail samples returned from Crystal Lake were determined to be banded mystery snails, which have been previously reported in this lake
Lake of the Woods
- Plant samples from the Baudette River were determined to be a native Nitella (stonewort)
Lake George
- Snail samples from Kabekona Lake were determined to be banded mystery snails, a new report for this lake
- The mussels collected from Benedict Lake were determined to be zebra mussels, which have previously been reported in this lake
- The plant samples returned from Mantrap lake were determined to be a native pondweed
Maplewood
- Snail samples collected from Johanna Lake were determined to be Chinese mystery snails, , a new report for this lake.
North Branch
- The snails recovered from Goose Lake were determined to be Chinese mystery snails, a new report for this lake.
- The snails recovered from Robour Lake, though small, were likely to be Chinese mystery snails, a new report for this lake.
Paynesville
- Follow-up surveys at Browns Lake and Lake Eden did not uncover zebra mussels, however there were many tiny snails at both locations that could have been mistaken for small zebra mussels attached to plants.
Prior Lake
- Snail samples collected from Clearly Lake were determined to be Chinese mystery snails, which have been previously reported in this lake.
- Snail samples collected from O’Dowd Lake were determined to be Chinese mystery snails, which have been previously reported in this lake
- Plants collected from samples collected from Thole Lake were determined to be Eurasian watermilfoil, which have been previously reported in this lake
- Plants collected from samples collected from Riley Lake were determined to be Eurasian watermilfoil, which have been previously reported in this lake
- Plants collected from samples collected from Lower Prior Lake were determined to be Eurasian watermilfoil, which have been previously reported in this lake
- The mussels collected from Lower Prior Lake were determined to be zebra mussels, which have previously been reported in this lake
- The mussels collected from Riley Lake were determined to be zebra mussels, which have previously been reported in this lake
Washington County
- Plant samples from Forest Lake were determined to be Eurasian watermilfoil, which has previously been reported at this lake. Chinese mystery snails and zebra mussels were also returned from Forest Lake, both of which have been previously reported there.
- Plant samples from Jane Lake were determined to be Eurasian watermilfoil, which has previously been reported at this lake
- Plant samples from Goose Lake were determined to be Eurasian watermilfoil, which has previously been reported at this lake
- Plant samples from Lily Lake were determined to be curly-leaf pondweed, which has previously been reported at this lake
- Plant samples from Clear Lake were determined to be curly-leaf pondweed and Eurasian watermilfoil, both of which have previously been reported at this lake
- Plant samples from Lake Elmo were determined to be Eurasian watermilfoil, which has previously been reported at this lake. Other plant samples from this lake were determined to be sago pondweed, a native species.
- Plant samples from Square Lake were determined to be a native Chara (muskgrass)
- Snail samples collected from Big Carnelian Lake were determined to be Chinese mystery snails, which have previously been reported there
Media
- Monitor Minnesota waters for invasive starry stonewort in Aug. 10 'Starry Trek', (West Central Tribune)
- Beltrami Co. Residents Learn How to Identify AIS at ‘Starry Trek’ Training, (Lakeland PBS)
- 'Starry Trek' event combats invasive algae with statewide search, (Southwest News Media)
- ‘Starry Trek’ Volunteers Wanted to Help Search MN Lakes for AIS, (Lakeland PBS)
- Latest aquatic invasive species prompts call for volunteers, (Brainerd Dispatch)