BIOLOGICAL CONTROL OF BROWN GARDEN SNAIL IN CALIFORNIA

A snail of Mediterranean origin, Rumina has been in the USA since the 1820's and in California since the 1950's. Considered a nuisance and a pest by some homeowners, the decollate snail is nonetheless the only natural enemy that has proved effective against the brown garden snail (BGS) in 50,000 acres of commercial citrus and several hundred experimental acres in the aggregate of stable public and private landscaping programs. With adequate soil moisture and rodent control the decollate snail can displace BGS in three to six years. Implementation of a cost effective snail control program for freeway plantings is highly feasible. Although the temperatature threshold of optimum growth and reproduction appears to be higher for Rumina than for Helix, both snails have similar habitat and temperature requirements, but cannot flourish in California unless aided by man's irrigation practices. These parameters plus predator pressure, as from rats, serve as strong restraints to the spreading of these snails beyond the confines of irrigated areas. For those reasons and because native snails tend to leave and /or avoid disturbed habitats, i.e., land cleared for agriculture, highways, or residences, it seems unlikely that Rumina would present a significant threat to endangered native snails in California. If transported into habitats which provide ground cover, such as leaf detritus, and supplemental water, both can survive and reproduce at elevations from below sea level to over 5,500 feet at ambient temperature extremes of 120 degrees F to 10 degree F. (Author) degree F. (Author)

• Corporate Authors:

  University of California, Riverside

  Department of Entomology
  Riverside, CA  United States  92521

  California Department of Transportation

  Office of Highway Maintenance, P.O. Box 1499
  Sacramento, CA  United States  95807

  Federal Highway Administration

  1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
  Washington, DC  United States  20590
• Authors:
  • Fisher, T W
• Publication Date: 1984-8

Media Info

• Features: Figures; Tables;
• Pagination: 46 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Biological control; Landscape maintenance; Pest control; Roadside
• Old TRIS Terms: Snails
• Subject Areas: Design; Environment; Highways; Maintenance and Preservation; Planning and Forecasting; I21: Planning of Transport Infrastructure;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00451792
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: FHWA-CA-HM 84-02
• Contract Numbers: E 78HM07
• Files: TRIS, USDOT, STATEDOT
• Created Date: Mar 31 2001 12:00AM