Giant pest-causing slugs invade Florida town

For the third time in decades, a city in Florida is affected by the invasion of giant African slugs (Lissachatina fulica), forcing municipal authorities to carry out mapping of the highest incidence of animals in order to collect them.

If the subject seems familiar to you, congratulations on the good memory: these same slugs were news here on Technology Refugee in October 2021. Let no one accuse them of being impatient or not insisting on a goal.

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According to information released by the Florida Department of Consumer Services and Agriculture, the giant slugs seem to be more concentrated in the New Port Richey region, where health and zoonoses control authorities have set up a quarantine zone.

In all, about 30 officers collected 1.016 slugs found in 29 properties, ranging from small farms to more urbanized homes – because threatening agricultural production is not enough for a slug that, theoretically, can even be your home.

“We are very fortunate to have an experienced team that prevents, detects and addresses invasive threats,” said department commissioner Nikki Fried, making more flexible use of the verb “prevent”. “Let me assure you, we will eradicate these giant slugs. We've done it twice before, and we'll do it again – it's not a matter of 'if' but 'when'”.

Naturally, a matter of honor for the Issaria.

According to Dr. Greg Hodges, assistant director of the authority's Plant Industry Division, this stir began in 1966, when three individuals of the African giant slug species were smuggled into Miami. Three years later came the first “outbreak”, which started the eradication program. Over several years, around 17 slugs were found – a cost of $1 million.

A second eradication program was launched in 2011, costing an incredible US$23 million (R$122 million). However, this program was more perennial, remaining under surveillance for several years until the last reported eradication, in 2021. Safety, finally, was assured.

But no: on June 23, new specimens of the giant slug were identified in Pasco County, where the current quarantine is in effect.

According to Hodges, it is prohibited throughout the United States to own a giant slug except in cases of special permission. Because it is an animal that gives rise to pests, its control is extremely difficult, and the fact that they are, well, anything that appears in front of them, brings several risks not only to the local industry, but also to the safety of people. . In at least two cases in the first eradications, foundations of houses had to be reinforced as the slugs saw central columns and thought “oops, feast!”

And anyone who thinks that the eradication program is simple is wrong: despite being pests, giant slugs are still removed one by one, by hand. And if that wasn't enough, canine units are specially trained to spot the bugs and…sit.

"We don't want dogs putting slugs in their mouths for the same reason we don't want people picking them up with their bare hands," Hodges said.

In any case, the situation appears to be under control and no serious damage has been reported. But don't be surprised if we end up writing about it again next year.

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