Be careful of pink eggs in gardens, they could be ‘apple snail’: they are banned by the EU

The freshwater mollusk, so defined due to its special shell shape, represents a serious threat to agriculture

ROME – Pomacea canaliculata, known as ‘apple snail’, is on alert. The freshwater mollusk, so defined due to its special shell shape, represents a serious threat to agriculture . Especially for growing rice, taro, corn and other cultivated plants.

THE EU DIRECTIVE

So much so that the European Union included it in a list of harmful organisms. “In cases where the presence of the Pomacea genus is found in fields and watercourses – reads Directive 2012/697/EU – -, all Member States must establish delimited zones in order to eradicate these organisms and to guarantee intensive monitoring to verify their presence.”

THE PINK EGGS

It is therefore essential to immediately communicate in the event of a sighting. Even pink eggs, which are laid very frequently, are resistant to drought and reproduce rapidly even in adverse conditions. Apple snails feed mainly on aquatic and terrestrial plants, algae and plant debris. In case of presence in the external spaces of homes, it is necessary to contact the competent authorities in the matter: the National or Regional Phytosanitary Service.