Escargot Anyone?

Escargot Anyone?

Now I have never had snail before, but depending on whom you ask (my wife for instance), it can be delicious. Usually served as an appetizer in French cuisine, Escargot has found its way into many seafood restaurants as well. But this tiny creature has found its way into the news recently as a new species has arose in Texas. This new species is not only big news, but big in size as well.

 Kids are told by their parents to stay away from a lot of things; drugs, strangers, stray dogs and the list goes on and on. But who would have thought that parents all around in Houston would be telling their children to stay away from snails? Of course this is no ordinary snail; it is a rather large species of snail known as the Giant African Land Snail. This invasive species was most recently found in Houston, and undoubtedly found its way there via one of the millions of shipping containers that hit the docks throughout the year. So what is it about this large, yet innocent looking creature that has caused so much alarm to bayou city families as well as large news outlets?

            This particular species of snail grow up to 18 cm long and can lay up to 1200 eggs a year. This snail has been declared as especially detrimental to eco systems not natural to its existence. They consume over 500 different types of plants and now that they are found in Houston, it is assumed that a significant effort will be utilized to keep the snail population from growing. The Giant African Land Snail (GALS) has existed in Florida for years now but is currently in the wild and has not made its way into contact with humans.

            Citizens of Houston have been warned not to pick up or touch a GALS as they are common carriers of meningitis as well as another infectious disease that has been known to cause harm and in some cases death. If you live in the Houston area and have spotted a GALS, it is recommended that you get in touch with the Texas Department of Agriculture.

            Houston knows all too well what it means to be dealing with an invasive species. Around six or seven years ago the term “Crazy Ant” began to be thrown around, as citizens began finding large populations of a new type of ant invading their homes. Colonies of this species of ant number in the thousands and on numerous occasions will cause electrical circuitry to short out as they tend to build homes in electrical junction boxes.        

            It is safe to say that with each female giving birth with up to 120 offspring a month, Houstonians will have their work cut out for them trying to keep the GALS at bay. And unfortunately, they probably will not make a good appetizer to entertain guests with. Serving up a dish of Meningitis is not a good way to keep friends.