Retention Pond Behind Winn-Dixie Grocery Store On Beach Blvd., Jacksonville, Duval Co., Florida

      While shopping for groceries on 5/8/2014, a thriving Pomacea paludosa (Say, 1829) [Florida Applesnail] population was discovered in a large retention pond behind the Winn-Dixie supermarket located on Beach Boulevard near the intersection of Beach Boulevard and St. Johns Bluff Road South. Although no actual snails were seen, a large number of fresh Pomacea paludosa eggs were present on vegetation along the pond periphery.  Other nearby retention ponds were investigated and no indications of Pomacea were seen. How the Pomacea came to be in this one retention pond, which is not connected to any other waterway, remains a mystery.

View of the retention pond looking west