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White Italian snail |
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Theba pisana
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White Italian snails (Theba pisana)
? Agriculture Western Australia
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Description
Adult snails are 15 - 20 mm across, white with brown markings, which vary from being distinct to almost non-existent.
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Over-summering snails
? Agriculture Western Australia
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Life cycle
The snail becomes active with the break of the season and lays batches of eggs 20 - 30 mm beneath the soil surface. Snails surviving from the previous season do most damage, and may eat two to three times their weight daily. With the onset of warm weather, activity decreases and finally ceases with the arrival of summer, when snails go into a resting state (aestivation), after they have ascended vertical surfaces such as shrubs or cereal plants. During aestivation the majority of the snails die from summer exposure, the survivors being those that have escaped the heat by finding shade or climbing up vertical objects. |
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Infestation on wheat
? Agriculture Western Australia
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Damage
White Italian snails are active feeders and eat pasture and emerging crops. In early summer snails may be found on the heads of cereals and can contaminate the harvested grain. |
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Control
Cultural controls are the main factor in managing populations through an extended area. The removal of shrubbery from fence lines and road verges is of prime importance as this prevents surviving aestivation. The burning of favoured over-summering areas can remove infestations. The harvesting of infested cereals can be facilitated by the use of a special rake mounted ahead of the harvester comb. |
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