Invasive jellyfish are thriving in Missouri's lakes. What's going on?

The Missouri Department of Conservation reports an invasive species of jellyfish from China can be found in Missouri’s lakes, reservoirs, and other freshwater habitats.
An invasive species of jellyfish from the Yangtze River Basin in China is thriving in St. Louis region freshwater habitats.

The species Craspedacusta sowerbii, also known as the peach blossom or freshwater jellyfish, are common throughout Missouri’s lakes, reservoirs, and other slow-moving bodies of water, according to the Missouri Department of Conservation.

The jellyfish have been in the United States since 1888. The first one collected in Missouri was in 1930 from a quarry pit in St. Charles County, said Will Mabee, an aquatic animal researcher with the Department of Conservation.