The weird creatures are thought to date back 470 million years (Picture: Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation (ODWC)
Strange ‘alien egg pods’ have been spotted in a reservoir and the creatures are expected to multiply this summer.
The large, jelly-like balls, have a hard exterior, and have been found at McGee Creek Reservoir, Oklahoma.
The photos have caused some fear and it has even led some people to believe they are from outer space.
The Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation (ODWC) posted the images to its Facebook account.
It posted: ‘What is that??? If you’re out boating somewhere like McGee Creek Reservoir you may notice these strange jelly-like balls hanging from submerged tree limbs.
‘These are Bryozoans, and they’ll likely show up in large numbers this summer. Don’t be alarmed these microorganisms are native and are of no danger to you or wildlife.
‘In fact, they are an indicator of good environmental quality and clear water.’
The post was met with comments including from Ken Crandell who wrote: ‘I’ve almost lived on the water for 60+ years. But, when I started seeing these at Lake Wister last summer I thought aliens had landed.’
The pods are ‘jelly-like’ and have a hard exterior (Picture: ODWC)
They help clear the water and are good for the environment (Picture: ODWC)
Bryozoans can self-clone because they have male and female reproductive parts (Picture: ODWC)
Meanwhile Mary Allen posted: ‘I never dreamed they were helpful to clean the water but thought them to be invasive.’
Bryozoans are clumps of creatures known as zooids, they are a fraction of a millimeter long and form the slimy mass.
They can self-clone because they have both male and female reproductive organs.
This means they can also reproduce asexually if one breaks off from a colony and allows them to reproduce in even greater numbers.
They mainly feast on bacteria and phytoplankton which is found in the water.
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They date back as far as 470 million years and they may have evolved from an ancient marine worm.
Bryozoans are covered in a substance called chitin, an exterior also on crabs.
Most are attached to a substance like a rock or a tree trunk as seen in the images shared.
They are set to multiply in the summer because they survive in warm waters.
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