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If You Spot Tiny Pink Eggs In Your Garden, Here's What To Do
By ROSE OKEKE
It’s cause for concern if you see tiny pink eggs clustered on foliage or elsewhere in your garden, as these belong to an invasive species — the apple snail (Pomacea canaliculata).
Apple snails destroy your garden’s ecosystem, eating your plants and competing for resources with other wildlife. Their eggs contain a neurotoxin that irritates your skin and eyes.
You can dispose of any adult snails you find in the garden, but the most effective way to eliminate them is to use two pieces of cardboard to scrape the eggs off and crush them.
Always wear safety gloves because apple snails are vectors of the rat lungworm parasite, which can cause severe brain infection in humans if eaten raw and also possibly if handled.
Ideally, drain freshwater sources in your garden, like a pond, and dispose of any snails. Consult an expert on how to remove algae, as this is one of the snails' food sources.
If you can’t drain your pond, use a molluscicide or chemical snail killer — just be sure to use a biodegradable one since some, especially copper-based ones, are harmful to fish.