The apple snail was first reported in France in 2018 near Fréjus, in the reservoir upstream of the Saint-Esprit dam, as reported at the time in an article in the daily newspaper Nice-Matin.
shutterstock
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Those mysterious pink eggs that proliferate in the garden at Easter are harbingers of an invasion
Apple snail eggs have proliferated in the south of France
And this discovery led to emergency measures with access to the banks being prohibited and collection operations. But this was clearly not enough.
shutterstock
Vigilance is required to slow the spread of this species
Today, gardeners are asked to be extremely vigilant in combating what could seem like an invasion.
shutterstock
All pink eggs seen in gardens should be reported
Individuals who spot clusters of pink eggs on a leaf or branch in their garden should therefore report this presence to the environmental authorities. Because it is everyone’s business to preserve biodiversity from this silent threat.
shutterstock
In a few days, children will go on a hunt for chocolate eggs as tradition dictates. But be careful, some French people might have a funny surprise with pink eggs
These pink eggs have nothing to do with Easter
These strings of small balls of a pretty pink color are not treats. They are in fact the eggs of a giant snail. Named pomacea snail or apple snail , this freshwater gastropod mollusk is native to South America . It is present in humid areas such as lakes, ponds or swamps.
Of a substantial size, it can measure four to six centimeters wide and five to seven centimeters high. But some individuals can reach ten centimeters. The pink or orange eggs measure 2 to 3 millimeters in diameter. They are laid in clusters of 400 to 600. Suffice to say that the rapid reproduction of the species contributes to its propagation. And the apple snail demonstrates an astonishing ability to adapt.
continued on next page
ADVERTISEMENT
