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Common: Water Mint
Scientific: Mentha aquatica

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You can find Water Mint near lakes and rivers. This plant lives close to bodies of water.

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Provides food for some smaller animals.

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Water mint is native to the majority of Europe as well as parts of Northern Africa and Eastern Asia. It is invasive in the United States.

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https://plants.usda.gov/core/profile?symbol=MEAQ
https://pondinformer.com/water-mint-mentha-aquatica/

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Common: Mullein
Scientific: Verbascum thapsus
- This photo is of a first year rosette. Mullein can actually grow tall and flower as it gets older.

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Mullein likes to grow in sunny, open areas that have space for them to spread out. Mullein can grow in both dry locations and near water.

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Mullein attracts pollinators when it blooms, and it's also considered a medicinal plant that's used for tea.

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Native to Europe, Northern Africa, and parts of Asia, Mullein was introduced to the Americas as a medicinal plant. It is considered invasive in the United States.

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https://www.ediblewildfood.com/mullein.aspx
https://wimastergardener.org/article/common-mullein-verbascum-thapsus/

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Common: Freshwater Jellyfish
Scientific: Craspedacusta sowerbii

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These jellyfish like to live in ponds and lakes with good water quality. They prefer calm water and usually stay near the bottom of the lake - we were lucky to find one during lab!

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Freshwater Jellies eat copepods and other zooplankton.

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Freshwater Jellyfish are believed to originate from Yangtze River in China, and they have become an invasive species found in 44 states and all five great lakes.

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https://blog.nationalgeographic.org/2012/08/31/freshwater-jellyfish-species-of-the-week/
https://www.greatlakesscuttlebutt.com/news/press-room/have-you-seen-a-freshwater-jellyfish/#:~:text=Believed%20to%20have%20originated%20in,freshwaterjellyfish.org%2Flocation).

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Common: Yellow Banded Bumble Bee
Scientific: Bombus terricola

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These bees are most commonly found in wooded areas with lots of pollinator plants nearby.

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Bees consume nectar from flowers and pollinate plants.

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Yellow Banded Bumble Bees are native to Canada and parts of the northern United States.

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https://mnfi.anr.msu.edu/species/description/19857/Yellow-banded-bumble-bee
https://explorer.natureserve.org/Taxon/ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.806567/Bombus_terricola

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Common: Snail
Scientific: Biomphalaria tenagophila

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This type of snail is a freshwater snail, that is also an air-breathing snail. They prefer to live in or near large bodies of water.

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Snails eat algae and other vegetation.

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You can find these little snails just about anywhere in the world!

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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biomphalaria_tenagophila

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Common: Soapwort or Saponaria
Scientific: Saponaria officinalis

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You will most likely find Soapwort in disturbed areas like roadsides or vacant lots. You can also find them along rivers banks and other riparian areas.

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Soapwort attracts hummingbirds and pollinators.

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Soapwort is native to Europe and parts of Eastern Asia, and is considered invasive in the United States.

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https://wildflowersearch.org/search?oldstate=bloom%3AIgnore%3B&buttonName=ShowFamilies&hab=&Elev=&PlantName=Saponaria+officinalis
https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/saponaria-officinalis/

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Common: Mullein
Scientific: Verbascum thapsus
- This photo is of a matured mullein plant that has grown tall and flowered. I was not aware that Mullein could look different, so I accidentally took 2 photos of the same plant species!

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Mullein prefers sunny locations in dry soil either on land or near bodies of water.

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Flowered Mullein attracts pollinators and the leave can be used for tea.

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Mullein is native to most of Europe and some parts of Asia, and is considered invasive in the United States.

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https://www.ediblewildfood.com/mullein.aspx

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Common: Zebra Mussel
Scientific: Dreissena polymorpha

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Zebra Mussels live in freshwater lakes and other large bodies of freshwater.

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This is an incredibly invasive species to North America, which means that Zebra Mussels compete with Native species for food.

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Originated in Europe, these mussels have become severely invasive in North America.

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https://www.invasivespeciesinfo.gov/aquatic/invertebrates/zebra-mussel

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Common: Freshwater Algae
Scientific: Spirogyra

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This algae lives in slow moving bodies of water, typically under rocks or near the bottom.

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Algae provides a food source for some fish, and produces oxygen as a result of photosynthesis.

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You can find algae in almost any freshwater river, lake, pond, etc.

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https://www.doc.govt.nz/nature/native-plants/freshwater-algae/#:~:text=Where%20are%20algae%20found%3F,grow%20well%20in%20swift%20rivers.

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Common: Paper Pondshell Mussel
Scientific: Utterbackia imbecillis

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These mussels live in deep bodies of freshwater.

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They eat algae and bacteria, and are a food source for otters, turtles, and birds.

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These mussels are native to North America and reside in the Great Lakes.

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https://mnfi.anr.msu.edu/pdfs/FreshwaterMusselsOfMichigan.pdf
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Utterbackia_imbecillis#:~:text=Utterbackia%20imbecillis%2C%20commonly%20called%20the,family%20Unionidae%2C%20the%20river%20mussels.