These large snails can potentially transmit rat lung worm disease

By Miriam Raftery

Photo:  Channeled apple snail laying a mass of pink eggs  by Katasha Cornwell, Fl. Dept. of Transportation:

October 28, 2021 (San Diego) – What are those pink clusters on rocks at Lake Murray and Lake Miramar?  After an East County Magazine inquiry, an official with the city of San Diego confirmed that they are eggs laid by Channeled Apple Snails. Also known as the “golden snail,” the crustacean is an invasive species from South America with potential to become a serious agricultural pest—and also potential to transmit rat lung disease. 

They are listed as a restricted species prohibited in California – but they are now found in several California counties and a handful of other states including Florida, Alabama, Arizona, and Idaho.