Freshwater Mussels: Missouri's Silent Treasure

Me and a Giant Floater Mussel

I'll admit, I'm a shell hoarder. I've always loved sea-shells, whether it be sand dollars, conch shells, even clams. You can imagine then, how thrilled I was to discover that Missouri is home to 65 different mussel species! Crazy, right?

If you don't think that's crazy, then you're probably not a nerd. Oh well. Our discussion today covers everything from the button industry to making landlords throw up!

In my wanderings through the Blue River, I would often come across the old shells of Threeridge mussels. Yet, I've also encountered a number of other species including Giant Floater Mussels (yes, funny) and your run of the mill pond mussel. The three most important questions in regards to mussels are, what do they do, where can you find them, and can you eat them?

I believe these are Threeridge Mussels

What they do: Freshwater mussels, like all mussels, are filter feeders. They cycle through huge amounts of water, straining it with their little mussel digestive systems. So darn cute. In fact, you can tell a lot about the health of a body of water by their presence or lack thereof. Many of the mussel species need relatively clean water to survive (and they help clean the water), so if a watershed is absent of them, it may be an indicator that the water quality is poor. Mussels also concentrate the toxins that they filter into their tissue, so they're useful for sampling what contaminants are in the bodies of water where they're found. That will be important when we discuss if you can eat them.

In history, they were once the basis of a thriving button trade in the United States. The inside of their shells are beautiful. Sadly, the commercialization of mussels nearly wiped them out. Since then, however, numbers have rebounded and while there are a number of the species that are endangered, there are also numerous species that are abundant.

They also provide food for raccoons, otters, muskrats, and some birds. So tip for you trappers, if there are broken mussel shells lining a shore, it may be a sign that a furbearer is feeding in the area.

Where can you find them: It's not difficult to find the shells in most rivers and lakes. Simply walk along the shore long enough and you'll find some. Locating living ones, however, is a little more tricky. I haven't had much luck finding anything except your average pond and giant floater mussels, but I imagine they inhabit similar habitats. You can check out the MDC website for a full field guide! Where I've found them is along sandy banks or areas of fine gravel. Mussels embed themselves into the sand. Some people get in the water and run their hands up and down sandy banks. That way, they can feel the tips of their shells sticking out of the water. It takes a sharp eye to be able to spot them in the water, but it's possible.

The venerable pond mussel

Hopefully in the future I will do a blog on finding Asian clams in particular. The Zebra mussel is one of two invasive species from Southeast Asia that is threatening our natural mussels and habitats. Look them up elsewhere as I'm not incredibly knowledgeable about them except that they're bad news bears.

Can I eat them: Yes, the age old question, is it edible? Well, technically, freshwater mussels are edible. Does that mean you should eat them? No. Here's why.

Since freshwater mussels are filter feeders, they concentrate toxins in their tissue. Many people don't live around a water source that is clean enough to eat from. Basically, if you wouldn't eat the fish from a river or lake, don't eat the mussels.

Beyond that, they just don't taste very good. Traditionally, Native Americans did utilize them as a food source, but only when their other food sources were depleted. In my more brave years, I did indeed cook some. They were bland and a bit weird. I let my wife's landlord and mentor at the time eat one and I think it might have made her vomit (making friends everywhere I go). That doesn't mean you shouldn't try one. Go for it! Just don't expect it to be haute cuisine and for the love of Mollusca don't eat them out of a polluted water source.

Boiled Mussels with a side of induced vomiting (I was fine though...)

In general, it's best to leave our water filtering friends to do their business, quietly restoring and maintaining our ecosystem. Next time you're walking along a lake or river, try and see if you can find a shell or two. If nothing else, they make cool bathroom decorations and you can bore your friends with your mussel knowledge. That alone is worth the price of admission.

Not a mussel. Just a cute snail I found while fishing.