Sea gives, sea takes away
It is fascinating to examine kelps now – the summer’s abundance of life in the sea lies flung up on the shore. Mussels are larger than in July, different-coloured seaweeds are lusher, and barnacles have fastened themselves on all other kinds of marine life. The photo shows barnacles on blue or common mussels, in the left-hand corner of the photo the chalk houses of the barnacles sit on seaweeds – seaweeds are their most usual living ground.
Barnacles don’t look similar to crayfish at all outwardly, they are immobile, and rather remind of molluscs, but their life cycle and larvae are similar to those of crayfish. Of the barnacle species, only the acorn or bay barnacle (Balanus improvisus) lives in the Baltic. It is one of the few cirripedes who manage inhabit this weakly salty water.
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