Beware Giant African snail

“The vector has passed from snail to human by contact with the snail’s mucous or by eating improperly cooked snail meat,” the ministry said.

Symptoms of eosinophilic meningitis include headache, neck pain, visual disturbances and hyperesthesias.

The giant African snail has reddish-brown and yellowish stripes running lengthwise along its shell and can grow to be about eight inches long. An adult giant African snail usually has five or more whorls; circles, compared to local snails which have five or less.

The giant African snail is found in the Diego Martin Valley, Carenage, Invaders Bay; behind MovieTowne and the Courtyard by Marriott hotel, as well as in Maraval, Aranjuez, Orange Grove, St.

Joseph Village, San Fernando, Chase Village and Chaguanas.

The snail feeds on over 500 species of plants. Where fruit and vegetable plants are not present, they would feed on ornamentals.

The giant African snail can live for approximately 9 years.

They begin laying eggs at five to six months old. Individual snails produce from ten to 500 eggs, averaging 300 to 1,000 eggs in three to four batches yearly.

The snail is nocturnal and extremely sensitive to high rates of evaporation.

“Therefore they would be more mobile during the cool hours of the early morning, late evening and during the night. On days which are overcast they can also be seen,” the Agriculture Ministry stated.

What is used to get rid of the giant African snail? “Bait; molluscicide, is applied in areas where the presence of the giant African snail is evident or known to be infested. The bait is used to attract and kill the snails. Also used is thiovin, which is sprayed where eggs and juveniles are present.

The snails are then picked up by a gloved hand; either by residents and/or the ministry’s Eradication Team.

Snails collected are destroyed through incineration.” If you find the giant African snail, using a glove or plastic bag, hold the snail by its shell and place it in an enclosed container then call the ministry’s Hotline (646-6284).

You can also email a photo of the snail and information about its location to snailreport@ gmail.com