African snails can reach up to 20 centimeters in length and are extremely greedy and cause great damage to vegetation. They can chew not only plants, but even bones and carrion. On the one hand, they pose a threat to human health because they carry the parasite Angiostrongylus cantonensis (rat worm).
These snails, which are very difficult to cull, were first seen in the US state of Florida in 1969 and took six years to be completely cleared. They came back in 2011 and survived for about 10 years. They begin to breed at four months of age and can lay thousands of eggs over their several-year lifespan. They can migrate thousands of kilometers by clinging to garbage or vehicles. They can wait for a year, burying themselves in the ground and hiding.
And these little “monsters” are now plaguing Florida once again. So much so that the town of New Port Richey in the state of Florida was invaded by giant African snails and was quarantined as of June 24.
Anyone who sees these snails in their garden is asked to take a photo and apply to the municipality. No one can predict when this invasion will end.
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