Invasive Gastropods in Agriculture
Working Group
This group was initially created by Shirley Baker, Professor at the University of Florida in Molluscan Biology and Aquaculture, as a response to the arrival of the invasive ghost snail B. bonariensis in the southeastern region of the United States. The group was meeting every month to give an update on the spread of this invasive pest and actions to prevent it.
The group expanded to other invasive snails in 2024 with the obtention of a SCRI-Planning grant titled “Understanding and managing effects of nuisance and phytophagous snail and slug species in horticultural crops” (USDA Tracking Number: GRANT14122659) led by Dr. Xavier Martini, Associate Professor in Entomology at the University of Florida. Since September, the group has organized monthly webinars with external speakers and organized the first Conference for the Management of Terrestrial Gastropods in Agriculture 2025 in Lake Alfred, FL.
We also launched a needs assessment across the country to evaluate the impact of terrestrial arthropods on horticultural crops. This needs assessment is currently conducted in collaboration with Peyton Beattie, Assistant Professor in the Department of Agricultural Education and Communication.
Future plans for this group include the organization of a symposium on Mollusk management at the next Entomological Society of America 2025 meeting in Portland; the writing of a review paper for the Journal of Integrated Pest Management; and participation in a special issue for Biocontrol.
