Invasive apples snails, including Pomacea maculata, are considered one of the most destructive invasive species worldwide, and considered pests to rice production in Asia, Europe, Central America, and North America. Louisiana has seen large production impacts in both crayfish and rice production, which are often used in a crop rotation.
Apple snail densities can reach > 20 snails/m2 and current management strategies are limited. The conspicuous, pink eggs are deposited on emergent vegetation and structures overhanging the water; the eggs must remain dry to hatch. Currently, mechanical tactics for knocking eggs into the water has been used to limit reproduction but the method is laborious and costly. Snails effect production directly and indirectly. Direct predation on rice seedlings leads to crop loss and requires replanting which further increases production costs. In crayfish production, large snails clog traps, reducing catch rates of target species, while smaller individuals intermix with the captured crayfish, requiring each trap to be carefully sorted to remove snails from marketable catch. Still unknown is the influence that apple snails may have on fish production systems. Snails are known to serve as hosts for a wide variety of parasites, many of which are further transmitted to vertebrates, both terrestrial and aquatic. These parasites can have detrimental effects on aquatic production systems, as well as human populations.
This project aims to broaden our understanding of invasive apples snails in the context of developing applicable management strategies. Evaluating apple snail population dynamics is crucial in understanding variables associated with infestation rates and damage assessments. Chemical therapeutics such as copper sulfate have a variety of uses in aquatic production systems, including gastropod treatment. The current study will evaluate the applicability of this and other molluscicides in the control of apple snails. Additionally, an environmental DNA assay will be developed and evaluated as a method of monitoring new infestations and snail densities. Lastly, a survey will be conducted to identify parasites relevant to crayfish and catfish production, as well as human-health.