Below is some interesting information about barnacles I found while doing some research. We’ve had a problem with them here in W. FL. For the most part they love our prTypical barnacle cluster exampleop, prop shaft, and strut.
Facts:
- Charles Darwin was the first to study them in 1851
- They have the longest penis in ratio to their size of all animals
- They only have one eye (no, not the one mentioned above!)
- They have six pairs of legs
- They’ve been around for 400-500 million years
- They grow fast, in patches, for survival
- They only attach themselves to hard surfaces
- They attach head first to your boat
- They go through two larval stages before they set up camp on your hull
- Color plays a roll on where they decide to attach themselves
- They will grow on top of each other to kill out other barnacles
- They’re growth rate is closely linked to water tempature
Pros:
- They could sink that abandoned boat in your marina that’s home to rats
Cons:
- They can weigh down your boat thousands of pounds
- They will slow you down
- They’re unsightly
- They’re sharp
- They’re an invasive species
- They don’t come off easily
- They can cost you a lot of time and/or money
- There’s no miracle science cure to keep them off your baby
- They live in shallow intertidal zones, like marinas