Apple snails are harmful to environment
NCWRC officials have announced the presence of invasive Apple Snails along the Lumber River in Lumberton, NC.
These snails are native to South America and can cause widespread damage to local aquatic species, including the eggs of amphibians.
They can also cause health problems in humans, possibly carrying a rat lungworm, which can be fatal to humans eating the snails raw or undercooked. The snail’s egg masses contain a toxin that may cause skin and eye rashes as well.
If you see Apple Snails anywhere in the state, NCWRC would like you to report your sightings, along with photos using the online Aquatic Nuisance Species Reporting Tool. They also ask anyone who sees Apple Snails to destroy them by crushing them while avoiding touching them with bare skin.
Apple Snails are easily identifiable, being much larger (2 to 6 inches in size) than North Carolina’s native snails. Their eggs are laid in bright pink clusters, on solid surfaces above the waterline. When they hatch, the young snails fall into the water, growing into aquatic adults.
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