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Pomacea maculata Perry, 1810 At St. Simons Island, Glynn Co., Georgia |
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Acting on information that channeled apple snails
were living in the water hazards at the Sea Island Retreat Golf Course
on St. Simons Island - information provided by the Georgia Department of
Natural Resources (DNR) - this reporter and shelling companion Dr. Harry
Lee visited that location on 9/7/2007 to see for ourselves these
molluscan golf enthusiasts. The DNR had reported the snails were present
in most of the course water hazards which were all interconnected.
However, time constraints permitted us to peruse only a small part of
the overall system. Empty Pomacea shells and a modest number of
fresh egg clutches were found at the three locations checked. Although
adult living specimens proved elusive, Harry eventually collected a
single living 25 mm. juvenile specimen. While a breeding population of
Pomacea maculata was obviously present in the areas checked, the
relatively modest number of fresh egg clutches seen, combined with our
inability to locate any living adult specimens, suggests that the
population may be quite small. Thus far (9/7/2007) channeled apple snails have been found at five different locations in Georgia: Blackshear, St. Marys, Alma, Quitman, and St. Simons Island. |
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[Click on the images for a higher resolution version.] |
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Water hazard near the 16th and 18th greens |
Harry Lee searches for live Pomacea maculata |
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Fresh egg clutches on pipes that connect the water hazards |
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Fresh dead Pomacea maculata |
Empty Pomacea maculata shells from the shoreline |
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