Amber Snails
Scientific name: Succinea spp.
Common name: amber snails
Author: Kathi Malfa, Xavier Martini, Francisco Borrero.
The Succinea snails are a genus of terrestrial snails with several species native to Florida and the southeastern United States. The snails tend to aggregate near moisture and plant matter; thus, they have been observed in crops and irrigation systems. Like many other species of terrestrial snails, they are likely hermaphrodites with each individual containing male and female reproductive organs. This means that under the correct conditions, these snails can potentially overwhelm plants or irrigation systems. The snails typically consume detritus and plant films, and thus, they generally are not directly harmful to plants. These small snails are tan to amber in coloration, some semi-transparent, and approximately 1 to 2 cm in length. Their shells contain 2 to 3 whorls with a distinctive shape in which the whorls taper toward the posterior right side of the shell instead of tapering uniformly down the midline.
