Ditch Adjacent To South Kernan Boulevard, Southeastern Duval County, Florida

In 2008 this habitat was filled during road construction and the Pomacea population was destroyed.

     Knowing of my interest in chronicling the presence of Pomacea paludosa (Say, 1829) [Florida Applesnail] in Duval County, during the summer of 2005 Ryan Myer, the ranger of the University of North Florida Wildlife Sanctuary, reported that he had seen applesnail eggs in a roadside ditch on south Kernan Boulevard just outside the university. This investigator subsequently made several visits to the area but was unable to locate either any eggs or snails. Finally on May 14, 2006 a large breeding population was located in a ditch nearly two miles north of the university - obviously not the location described by Ryan. Strictly by chance this reporter happened to be on Kernan Boulevard just outside the university (4600 block) on July 8, 2006 and spotted Pomacea egg clutches on a concrete culvert along the east side of the road. A more in depth investigation revealed that the modest shallow ditch running from the 4600 block to at least the 4400 block had a large and thriving Pomacea population and numerous egg clutches were present in areas not mowed by local residents. The ability of the species to survive in such Spartan conditions, where little or no water is present during the drier months, is amazing.

Ditch in the 4600 block of Kernan Boulevard

Ditch in the 4600 block of Kernan Boulevard

Ditch in the 4600 block of Kernan Boulevard

Ditch in the 4600 block of Kernan Boulevard

Ditch in the 4400 block of Kernan Boulevard

Two live specimens from the ditch

Ditch in the 4400 block of Kernan Boulevard

Two live specimens from the ditch

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