Apple snails are very invasive exotic snails that you really don't want in your pond, and certainly do not want to get into your environment.

pauln,

I appreciate the advise but, do I really need to be concerned since I live in NJ? I think I read somewhere that the snails will not survive the extremely cold winters in this zone.

-Mike

Apple snails are not exotic. They are native to Florida. Now, there are other snails that people call Apple snails like Mystery snails and Trap-door snails.

Happy ponding,
Scott

Scott, what is the difference in the snails in the rivers here in Fl. and Apple Snails? Glenda

Here's a link to a site in FL that says they are INDEED exotic, native to South America.

http://www.dep.state.fl.us/central/Home/Watershed/snails/Snails.htm

It seems they would not survive winter in NJ, but life has a way of getting around rules and assumptions. We never thought we'd have an over-wintering population of water hyacinth in Arkansas, and now it's poised to take over.

Glenda, the snails in the rivers here in Florida are Apple snails.

Pauln, you didn't read that page completely, did you? The Channeled Apple snail is not the Florida native Apple snail. They are bigger and eat more vegetacian than our native snails. That page is a report of how they have become invasive here in Central Florida.

Happy ponding,
Scott