Brain-Like Blobs Popping Up On Chautauqua Lake [PHOTO]

The summer of 2021 is here and many people are back to enjoying being out camping, at concerts, or on the lake celebrating with friends and family. As The summer heat starts to warm up the water around western New York, you may be noticing certain things popping up below the surface.

Typically these are found in the eastern United States during the warmer months of June to September.

Our family enjoys being on Chatauqua lake most weekends during the summer and this past weekend our kids noticed something below the water that looked like a brain in their opinion. And they were right, it does look like a brain!

But what is it? What are these blobs that are popping up and are as big as the head of a shovel? According to most of the research that we have found they are called Bryozan Blobs.

The U.S. Geological Survey has a website that can help you identify and document strange aquatic plants and animals that you happen to encounter. Reporting your sightings might help scientists to figure out more about the spread of these unusual creatures.

Typically these are found in the eastern United States during the warmer months of June to September.

I have to admit, it does give me the willies sometimes swimming around these things. I like swimming in pools and occasionally I will swim in an ocean if it is clear enough. Call me a wimp, but I am not great when it comes to swimming in open water when I cannot see the bottom. I guess it goes back to when I was a kid and my brothers would try to make me scared about swimming and ponds telling me that there were so many snapping turtles that my fingers would get better off when I swam! To this day I still think about that when I go near a pond whether it’s fishing or just walking through the woods.

If you are in Chautauqua County, swing by the lake and check out some of these gelatinous brain-like blobs the pictures don’t do it justice, they’re pretty interesting to see in person.