As recently reported by scientists from Florida’s St. This augmented presence has fueled fears in Australia, where the snails have been intercepted. Invasive apple snails can reach 25 mm in shell length and are recognized by their conical shell, which often has a pinkish color. Their recent find at the Port of Brisbane has set Australian agriculture specialists and government leaders on edge.
Native to the Caribbean, ghost snails primarily eat dead and decaying plant matter. Their effect on agriculture is often quite negative, since many produce toxins that can harm crops by sucking juices from plants. According to studies, ghost snail invasions have already destroyed crops in several states including New Mexico, Texas, Florida, North Carolina, and Tennessee. Citrus, cotton, soybean, blueberry, and peanut are the worst affected. They can go pretty fast, at rates up to 21.8 m in only 22 days. This rapidity has made them an extremely competitive danger to local ecosystems and existing agricultural enterprises.
The Growing Threat of Ghost Snails
Since 2016, authorities at Australian ports have repeatedly intercepted ghost snails smuggled in by the half-dozen. In the past few weeks, more than 350 of the ghost snails were collected and culled at nine sites in the Port of Brisbane. Fertile and free-roaming, these snails not only eat our crops, they raze our ecosystems, leaving them pearly white in their wake. They outcompete our native species, may host dangerous bacteria and parasites.
Nathan Hancock, specialty crop economist at Colorado State University, highlighted the ecological difficulties these snails have created. As Dr. Liang put it, “A snail’s pace is usually pretty slow — these dudes can be really sneaky fast.” Hancock further elaborated on the damage ghost snails can inflict: “If they do get up into trees, they do feed on the fruit, which damages it and makes it unsaleable.”
Dear ghost snail, … As you might imagine, ghost snails are a nightmare for farmers and agricultural stakeholders. Jim Eldridge, another expert in this field, noted the potential risk to over 500 plant species, including both fruit and vegetable crops as well as important native species. Eldridge highlighted another danger posed by snails. They are a source of exposure to dangerous pathogens that negatively impact human and environmental health alike, both through its feces and by transporting toxic bacteria.
Government Response and Preventative Measures
Considerations from the above threat posed by ghost snails has prompted the Australian government to increase its response efforts. Minister Julie Collins said, “The government is investing more and it’s time for importers to start paying their fair share too.” She underscored that the Albanese Labor government will continue to consult closely with farmers and other stakeholders. Together, they’ll work to craft policy solutions that will protect agricultural livelihoods.
As you might imagine, experts are calling for a much bigger push towards prevention. Taking this approach now will prevent future disasters from being wrought by these terrible invasive snails. As a prevention-based Carol Booth said, “So there’s absolutely got to be a lot more attention paid to prevention. This forward-looking strategy is critical to protecting the viability of our agricultural production and ecological diversity in impacted areas.
The agriculture sector needs to be more vigilant in the maintenance of their equipment. Ghost snails can take extremely short rides on farming machinery and quickly disperse. They’ve been reported to clog irrigation tubes in U.S. citrus plantations, illustrating their potential to cause truly outsized, cutting destruction.
Ongoing Surveillance and Research
Continued monitoring will be essential to tracking the invasion of the ghost snail. Jim Eldridge, Director of the Ecological Services Division of USFWS, highlighted the need for follow-up monitoring after treatments. He argues that these should be monitored over the long term, minimum of 12 months. This continued and complete monitoring will give them the ability to quickly respond if the snail population starts to come back.
In addition to surveillance, researchers are evaluating various pesticides—including insecticides, molluscicides, herbicides, and fungicides—to identify effective tools for managing these invaders. Lauren Diepenbrock, who worked on this research, highlighted how crucial this research is to fighting the growing menace of ghost snails.
Ghost snails’ detrimental effects to agriculture and native ecosystems have led to increasing concern. Coordinated action among federal, state and local agencies with agricultural interests will be key to making a dent on this issue. Through caution and prevention, officials are optimistic that they can prevent invasive species from encroaching any further.
