Pomacea maculata Perry, 1810 In Cunningham Creek, St. Johns County

    Having being advised of this find on 12/17/2006 and again on 3/26/2006, this reporter visited Cunningham Creek near where it is intersected by State Road 13 (San Jose Boulevard) in Fruit Cove. No evidence of Channeled Apple Snails was seen during the two visits. However, access to the waterway is severely limited by both the inhospitable terrain and the fact that it is virtually surrounded by private property. Dr. Patrick Baker (University of Florida/IFAS) also conducted a site visit during the summer of 2006 and likewise was unsuccessful in finding evidence of the snails.

    This reporter made a return visit to the area on 9/30/2006, and immediately upon arrival a single small Channeled Apple Snail egg clutch was spotted on vegetation just upstream from the State Road 13 bridge. However, a thorough investigation of the bridge area failed to reveal any additional evidence of the snails presence. A small backwater area about 150 yards north of the creek was then perused, and a single CAS egg clutch was found there as well. Then, with use of a nearby elevated wooden boardwalk which spanned the slough, the creek was accessed about 100 yards south of the State Road 13 (SR-13) bridge, and several egg clutches and a single live Pomacea imaculata was found - thus confirming the snails' presence. Two follow-up visits were subsequently made to the same area, and during the latter visit (10/5/2006), a second live CAS was found in the same area as the initial find on 9/30/2006.

    On consideration of the limited number of Channeled Apple Snail egg clutches present it would appear that the population present in the creek is currently relatively small but widespread.  [go to next page]

SR-13 bridge over Cunningham Creek (looking south)

Location where the live Pomacea were found

Channeled Apple Snail egg clutches seen adjacent to Cunningham Creek (SJRWMD digital photographs)