Sweet success for pest snail eradication

An invasive exotic pest species has been successfully eradicated from South Australia in a major win for grain producers and the horticulture sector.

The chocolate band snail (Eobania vermiculata) has been wiped out after its detection in Wallaroo in 2022 triggered a swift eradication program from the Department of Primary Industries and Regions (PIRSA).

Two consecutive winters without any detections in SA mean the state can officially declare itself free of the pest.

This species poses a potentially costly threat to farmers, as it’s known to feed on a wide variety of commercial crops, including grains, vegetables, citrus trees and vineyards, resulting in reduced yields through crop damage.

The detection of chocolate band snails in Wallaroo was of particular concern, due to the region’s status as a major grain export gateway on the Yorke Peninsula and its important role in connecting South Australian producers with domestic and international markets.

The successful eradication of the chocolate band snail in South Australia highlights the strength of our state’s coordinated and rapid biosecurity responses, as well as the importance of early detection in protecting primary producers and maintaining our access to valuable interstate and overseas markets.

Originating in Europe and north Africa, chocolate band snails are highly resilient and difficult to control pests that reproduce quickly and can survive harsh, dry conditions.

The latest eradication program, which ran from November 2022 until recently, featured a range of activities at and around infected premises, including lured refuge traps, regular baiting, vegetation control, and detector dog surveillance.

Chocolate band snails have previously been detected in Victoria in 2017, and a separate, unrelated detection in Port Adelaide that was successfully eradicated in 2013.

Early detection is key to delivering the most effective biosecurity response to any pest species or disease.

Report any sightings of exotic plant pests or diseases to the Exotic Plant Pest Hotline on 1800 084 881.