PLANTATION, Fla. – An invasive snail species is making itself at home in South Florida.
Block after block, rock after rock, the bubblegum-looking pink masses seen in Plantation are actually made up of hundreds and hundreds of tiny snail eggs.
Entomologist and extension specialist William Kern says it’s not just any cluster of eggs.
“That is probably one of the worst infestations I’ve seen,” said Kern.
Local 10 News’ Andrew Perez took a stroll with Kern down a canal in Plantation, easily finding thousands of Apple Island Snail eggs, an invasive snail that threatening local wildlife and getting very comfortable in South Florida.
“The fact that they are not native and they reproduce like crazy, that’s why they’re a problem,” said Kern.
So how did he they get here? One answer: humans.
“They were brought here with the pet trade,” said Kern. “These were originally brought in for aquariums.”
The freshwater snails thrive, they hatch and drop into the water and the circle of life continues.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission says they have the potential for economic and environmental damage.
They are clearly booming in population, feeding on aquatic vegetation and algae in the water while killing other important species, like the native apple snail.
FWC says if you see them, remove them with gloves and be careful.
“We would like to have lots of Florida apple snails but these guys are competing with the Florida apple snail for the ecological niche,” said Kern. “These are a potential vector for Asian rat lungworm. The secret is, don’t try to eat them raw. "