Pest profile

Giant African Land Snail

Lissachatina fulica · Stylommatophora: Achatinidae[5][1]

The giant African land snail is one of the most damaging snails in the world, feeding on at least 500 kinds of plants. It is prohibited in the United States, can carry the rat lungworm parasite, and any sighting should be reported.[2][3][1]

Giant African land snail with a tall, cone-shaped brown shell striped with darker streaks, crawling over a concrete edge on its pale body
Giant African land snail with a tall, cone-shaped brown shell striped with darker streaks, crawling over a concrete edge on its pale body. (c) chiuluan, some rights reserved (CC BY) — via iNaturalist, CC BY 4.0

How to identify it

  • It can grow to nearly 8 inches long and 5 inches across, making it one of the largest land snails in the world.[1][3]
  • The shell is cone-shaped, tapering to a distinct point at one end, and usually light brown with darker brown stripes running lengthwise.[1][3]
  • A mature shell has seven to nine whorls.[3]
  • Body color varies: FDACS reports dark-shelled snails with grayish-brown flesh as well as lighter snails with milky white flesh, sometimes called albino GALS.[2]

Look-alikes

Look-alikeHow to tell them apart
Garden snailsA snail approaching 8 inches with a tall, pointed, cone-shaped shell fits the giant African land snail; if you aren't sure, email a photo to the FDACS helpline instead of handling it.[1][2]

Where it lives

Native to East Africa and spread through Southeast Asia, Pacific islands, Brazil and the Caribbean. Florida has eradicated it three times, most recently in 2026 in Lee County, and quarantines are in place in Broward and Pasco counties.[1][2]

Biology and life cycle

It rests by day in shaded, humid spots and comes out at night or in wet weather to feed, traveling up to 50 feet in a night and leaving a slime trail.[1]

Each snail has both male and female organs; after mating, it can lay 100 to 500 eggs and produce clutches every two to three months without mating again.[3]

The hard-shelled eggs, about 1/5 inch across, are laid in soil, and hatchlings stay underground for one to two weeks before surfacing.[1]

In dry weather it seals its shell opening and can rest inactive for months, often in moist soil.[1]

It is active at roughly 48 to 90 degrees F and may be able to survive as far north as 40 degrees latitude.[1]

Damage and signs

  • It feeds on at least 500 types of plants, especially vegetables, flowers and ornamentals, and any succulent plant or seedling is at risk.[1][3][2]
  • Older, larger snails shift toward eating leaf litter and decaying plants, while mid-sized snails do the most feeding on live plants.[1]

Health risk

It can carry rat lungworm, a parasite that can cause meningitis. People get infected by eating raw or undercooked snails or produce with snail parts on it, so wear gloves and wash produce well.[4][2][1]

Control

Prevention

Never handle these snails without gloves, and never release, share or keep one; they are illegal to import or possess in the U.S. without a permit.[2][3]

Inside a Florida quarantine area, moving plants, soil, yard waste, compost or building materials out of the area requires a compliance agreement.[2]

Sanitation

For snails in general, removing mulch, dense ground cover, wood and stones and cutting back irrigation takes away the moist shelter they need.[1]

Traps and physical control

Boards, saucers or unglazed pots in shade make refuges you can check by day; UF/IFAS notes banana and papaya attract them.[1]

Pesticides

Molluscicide baits include iron phosphate, metaldehyde and boric acid; iron phosphate is much safer around pets and wildlife, and baits should be scattered thinly, not piled.[1][2]

When to call a professional

Report suspected snails to your state agriculture department or USDA APHIS; in Florida, call the FDACS Division of Plant Industry helpline at 1-888-397-1517 or email DPIHelpline@FDACS.gov.[3][2]

Common questions

What should I do if I find a giant African land snail?
Don't touch it with bare hands, don't move or release it, and contact your state agriculture department or USDA; in Florida, email a photo to the FDACS helpline.[3][2]
Can I keep one as a pet?
No. Giant African land snails are prohibited in the United States without a permit, and FDACS notes that lighter-colored snails are sought after in the illegal pet trade.[2][3]
Can touching a giant African land snail make you sick?
Handling a live snail and then touching your eyes, nose or mouth is a risk, so wear gloves and wash your hands.[3][4]

Sources

  1. University of Florida IFAS Extension (EDIS), “Giant African Land Snail in Florida, Featured Creatures (EDIS publication IN904).” edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/IN904 (accessed 2026-10-06)
  2. Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Division of Plant Industry, “Giant African Land Snail.” www.fdacs.gov/Agriculture-Industry/Pests-and-Diseases/Plant-Pests-and-Diseases/Giant-African-Land-Snail (accessed 2026-10-06)
  3. USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, “Pest Alert: Giant African Snails, APHIS 81-35-009 (revised May 2018).” www.aphis.usda.gov/sites/default/files/alert-gas.pdf (accessed 2026-10-06)
  4. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, “About Rat Lungworm Disease (June 24, 2024).” www.cdc.gov/angiostrongylus/about/index.html (accessed 2026-10-06)
  5. iNaturalist, “Lissachatina fulica taxon page (order and family).” www.inaturalist.org/taxa/502885 (accessed 2026-10-06)

Updated 2026-10-06. Built from sourced records. Spot an error? Tell us.