Attack of the Giant African Land Snails

[72doug2,2S]

Giant African Land Snails Invading Miami: 117,000 Caught So Far (PHOTOS, VIDEO)

By Barbara Liston

ORLANDO, Florida (Reuters) - South Florida is fighting a growing infestation of one of the world's most destructive invasive species: the giant African land snail, which can grow as big as a rat and gnaw through stucco and plaster.

More than 1,000 of the mollusks are being caught each week in Miami-Dade and 117,000 in total since the first snail was spotted by a homeowner in September 2011, said Denise Feiber, a spokeswoman for the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.

Residents will soon likely begin encountering them more often, crunching them underfoot as the snails emerge from underground hibernation at the start of the state's rainy season in just seven weeks, Feiber said.

The snails attack "over 500 known species of plants ... pretty much anything that's in their path and green," Feiber said.

In some Caribbean countries, such as Barbados, which are overrun with the creatures, the snails' shells blow out tires on the highway and turn into hurling projectiles from lawnmower blades, while their slime and excrement coat walls and pavement.

"It becomes a slick mess," Feiber said.

A typical snail can produce about 1,200 eggs a year and the creatures are a particular pest in homes because of their fondness for stucco, devoured for the calcium content they need for their shells.

Giant African Land Snails Invading Miami: 117,000 Caught So Far (PHOTOS, VIDEO)

"Luckily they're big and slow, so you should see them coming."

[scottmandue]

Three words...

New protein source!!!

[GG Allin]

What do they taste like? How did they get there?

[cashflyer]

Cooking African land snails | Life and style | guardian.co.uk

[Andy911sc]

just wait... you say about eating them now, but when the government steps in. That will be $150/yr for your hunting and trapping license for the snails. Limit is 3 per day, 24/year.

[Jim Richards]

Nice toenails, Doug.

[red-beard]

We'll trade you even for the fire ants...

[scottmandue]

Snail McNuggets... Snail flambe... Snail cordon blue...

[vash]

in college i worked at a pet store. we took in a shipment of lizards and got a tupperware with one of those snail in it. i think we called it an african apple snail. it was enormous. my co-worker took it home. we never spoke of it to our bosses. the thing ate half of a small pumpkin overnight.

a few weeks later, we got a call from the FBI..or someone, customs?. we were asked about the snail. we played dumb. the agent said, "hear that? that is us drafting up search warrants for your homes"..

"oh, that snail!"..we took it to SFO, to some hangar. they took the snail and put it into a bucket of acid..right there, right then. he said seven of those things got past customs. they said they could potentially buckle california's agriculture.

not good, for florida...damn that sucks. i think they are a-sexual and can produce 100's of thousands of eggs..

[aigel]

I read that they may carry disease. But I am sure a good boil and oven roast will be taking care of that. Escargot anyone?



I have had plenty of escargot, some of it self-prepared. I'd be eating these suckers for sure, much less work to clean, as they are so big!

G

[72doug2,2S]

Originally Posted by Jim Richards

Nice toenails, Doug.

Thanks Jim. I keep them short for occupational reasons. The color is vibrant magenta, incase you wanted to know. One coat will do, but two coats last longer.

[masraum]

Originally Posted by GG Allin

What do they taste like?

Slurm?





Or maybe Soylent Green.

[red-beard]

Snails definitely have sex....

And California snails in San Diego do it in public!

[sammyg2]

Two words ... ROCK SALT!

[BlueSkyJaunte]

Originally Posted by red-beard

Snails definitely have sex....

Snucking?

[red-beard]

Originally Posted by BlueSkyJaunte

Snucking?

I'm not sure, I couldn't hear the sound

[vash]

damn..that agent was wrong!! they switch genders partway thru life.

in taiwan they eat these big snails. you can buy them canned. taste like abalone to me. chews the same.

[kach22i]

............ the snails' shells blow out tires on the highway

Another Porsche hazard to be wary of.

[74-911]

Florida seems to be the epi-center for invasive species.

maybe they feed on pythons ?? or vice-versa ??

[red-beard]

Originally Posted by 74-911

Florida seems to be the epi-center for invasive species.

maybe they feed on pythons ?? or vice-versa ??

Yeah, but they don't have fireants...