Horntail snails join pythons and lionfish as a Florida pest

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Florida is known for fighting invasive species. The state encourages people to kill lionfish, iguanas and pythons. But now there’s a new non-native critter to worry about -- the horntail snail.

The gastropod that’s a pest in India for its voracious consumption of farm products was found in Miami in August. The Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services issued a warning about the snail this week.

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It said it’s the first time the snail has been found in the United States. The dime-sized snail eats hundreds of plants and reproduces rapidly.