Pacific Pests, Pathogens, Weeds & Pesticides - Online edition

Pacific Pests, Pathogens, Weeds & Pesticides

Giant African snail (050)


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Summary

  • Worldwide distribution. GAS eats many vegetables, ornamentals and tree crops. An important pest.
  • Feeds at night; by day, under stones, logs, and leaves.
  • Eggs laid in batches (200-300) under soil and on logs.
  • Spreads on slime from “foot”; long-distance spread by humans: eggs in pot plants, sawdust, vehicles, shipping containers, moved as pets. Carries the rat lung worm.
  • Natural enemies: avoid predatory snails, flatworms, (a threat to local fauna); use Indian runner ducks.
  • Cultural control: bare earth or sand, 1.5 m wide around plots; collect, boil 1h, feed to pigs; ducks; awareness programs.
  • Chemical control: metaldehyde and methiocarb not recommended due to human and environmental concern

Common Name

Giant African snail

Scientific Name

Lissachatina fulica, previously known as Achatina fulica


AUTHORS Helen Tsatsia & Grahame Jackson
Information from CABI (2020) Achatina fulica (giant African land snail) Cop Protection Compendium.  (https://www.cabi.org/cpc/datasheet/2640); and Walker K (2005) Giant African Snail (Achatina fulica): PaDIL - http://www.padil.gov.au; and Giant African snail (2019) Business Queensland. Queensland Government. (https://www.business.qld.gov.au/industries/farms-fishing-forestry/agriculture/crop-growing/priority-pest-disease/giant-african-snail); and from Waterhouse DF, Norris KR (1987) Achatina fulica Bowdich. Biological Control Pacific Prospects. Inkata Press.  

Produced with support from the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research under project PC/2010/090: Strengthening integrated crop management research in the Pacific Islands in support of sustainable intensification of high-value crop production, implemented by the University of Queensland and the Secretariat of the Pacific Community.

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