Invasive snail species could threaten crawfish production
Apple snail egg masses grow on a crawfish boat in St. James Parish. To prevent spreading, AgCenter entomologist Blake Wilson recommends thoroughly cleaning equipment before moving it from infested to non-infested ponds. (Photo by Blake Wilson/LSU AgCenter)
Snail egg masses grow a few inches above the water. A good way to prevent eggs from hatching is to submerge them in water. (Photo by Blake Wilson/LSU AgCenter)
BATON ROUGE — Calling them the densest he’s ever seen, LSU Ag-Center entomologist Blake Wilson was startled to find invasive apple snail egg masses in St. James Parish, but said preventative measures, and a little help from Mother Nature, can mitigate the spread and potential damage to the crawfish industry.
Wilson, who specializes in agriculture pest management research, had previously encountered…
