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Giant African Snail |
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Several species of exotic snails are serious pests of plants and threats to public health.
Scientists consider the giant African snail, Lissachatina fulica, to be one of the most damaging snails in the world. It is known to eat at least 500 different types of plants, including breadfruit, cassava, cocoa, papaya, peanut, rubber, and most varieties of beans, peas, cucumbers, and melons. Believed to be originally from East Africa, L. fulica has established itself throughout the IndoPacific Basin, including the Hawaiian islands. This mollusk has also been introduced to the Caribbean islands of Martinique and Guadeloupe. Recently, L. fulica infestations were detected on Saint Lucia and Barbados. In 1966, a Miami, FL, boy smuggled three giant African snails into south Florida upon returning from a trip to Hawaii. His grandmother eventually released the snails into her garden. Seven years later, more than 18,000 snails had been found along with scores of eggs. The Florida State eradication program took 10 years at a cost of $1 million.
In September 2011, giant African snail was detected in Miami, Florida. APHIS, in partnership with the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, is conducting a regulatory program to eradicate this invasive species.
Pest Identification
- Achatina achatina (PDF; 137 Kb)
- Archachatina marginata (PDF; 120 Kb)
- Limicolaria aurora (PDF; 59 Kb)
Regulation
Quarantine Information
Pest Management
- Environmental Information
- New Pest Response Guideline (April 23, 2007)
APHIS Program Publications
Additional Information
- Information on Rat Lungworm Nematode
- If you see a snail that looks like the giant African snail, please report it to your State Department of Agriculture or the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), Plant Protection and Quarantine (PPQ) office. See the following URL for contacts in your state: http://pest.ceris.purdue.edu/directory.php?list=SPHD
- For additional information on Giant African Snail:
http://www.freshfromflorida.com/
Contacts:
Charles Brown
Telephone: 301-851-2119
E-mail: Charles.L.Brown@aphis.usda.gov
Last Modified: April 9, 2013
