Houston braces for giant snail invasion

[vanillacourage]

Article:
Houston, we have a problem.

A giant African land snail has been spotted in a Houston garden, and residents are being warned to stay away from it—and to watch out for others.

Texas station KPRC reports that the slow-moving menaces are sometimes carriers of a life-threatening meningitis. It "can cause a lot of harm to humans and sometimes even death," Autumn Smith-Herron, director of the Institute for the Study of Invasive Species at Sam Houston State University, told the NBC affiliate.

The monstrous mollusk is the first of its kind known to slime its way into Texas, and no one is sure how it got there.

A woman in the Briar Forest neighborhood of Houston found the snail and “notified workers at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center who deal with invasive plants,” according to the station.

The disease-carrying, freakishly big hermaphroditic snails—they can grow up to almost 8 inches in length and up to 4 inches in diameter—can each lay some 100 eggs per month.

In other words, where there’s one, there are likely to be more.



NOPE
NOPE
NOPE

[eb777888]

HOLY FUCKING SHIT!!!!!!!


When life gives you snails, make escargot!

[karmasabiotch]

Reason #2781801779 I'm glad I don't live in Texas anymore.

[mrsjuleshs]

They determined that no they are not African snails and do not cary meningitis. Our news LOVES to jump the gun and rile people up. Still, they are freaking disgusting and it creeps me out that I could find one of those in my yard some day.

[Deleted]

GET THE SALT!!!

[Kit]

I imagine they'd be easy to catch...how fast can they really get away?

Either way....vomit.

[iluvrice26]

Ewww.. NO!

[thebamker]

I think snails are so freaking cute! true story.

[mrsjuleshs]

If I catch one, I will put it in a box and send it to the first person who wants it.

[snickers]

ewwww, those are for real?

[Deleted]

Will anteaters go for them?

[papie]

Those are definitely the biggest snails I have ever seen.