Woodland Dunes Nature Center and Preserve

Fairy shrimp are small crustaceans that swim belly up through the water. They have over eleven gill-like feet that help them swim and breathe. They are an indicator of a vernal pool, as they thrive in areas without fish (that would eat them). Their eggs are able to withstand the vernal pools drying out in the summer and freezing in the winter, the eggs can wait up to two decades until conditions are favorable to hatch!

Image of fairy shrimp at Plover Pond by Kennedy Zittel, Naturalist