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Candlewood Suites Hotel Lake, Southeastern Duval County Florida |
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The whole area south of J. Turner Butler Boulevard east of Belfort Road is replete with a series of man-made lakes of various sizes - most of which have a population of Pomacea paludosa. Invariably those lakes harboring a snail population are connected via an underground drainage system which ultimately connects with the headwaters of Big Pottsburg Creek where Pomacea are extremely common. It appears likely that the Candlewood Suites lake too was colonized by snails via this means. However, it is the first such location west of Belfort Road and thus considerably more distant from Big Pottsburg Creek and the other locations where the snails have been found. The limited number of egg clutches observed suggests that the presence of the snails in the lake represents a recent colonization. |
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North shoreline of the lake looking south |
South shoreline of the lake looking north |
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Pomacea egg clutch on the lake shoreline |
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As part of an on-going project to formally document the presence of
Pomacea paludosa (Say,
1829) [Florida Applesnail]
in northeast Florida, on August 4, 2007 a visit was made to a small lake
behind the Candlewood Suites extended stay hotel at 4990 Belfort Road
just south of J. Turner Butler Boulevard/St. Luke's Hospital. I was drawn to lake by the signs (see image on the left)
prominently posted in the area. Upon approaching the lake shoreline it
became clear that that more than alligators were to be found in the lake
when a limited number of Pomacea paludosa egg clutches were seen
on bank vegetation. However, the egg clutches appeared to be confined to
the northern end of the lake - an area where an underground concrete
culvert was seen. Another nearby similarly sized lake was then
investigated but no evidence of Pomacea was seen.
