Snails Found Atop Cypress Knees

Rick Gibson, who recently sent a , has found another mystery in the cypress swamp of the West River Preserve.

“I also found these large (channeled apple) snails stuck on top of nearby cypress knees,” wrote the West River Drive resident in an email. “I don’t think humans put them there. One, there is no trail nearby; it is deep into the cypress swamp. Second, a human could get to it by boat but it would be very difficult due to the shallow water. I suspect some type of animal did this, maybe a large bird or raccoon? When you pull off the snail, a dead snail animal comes out—a snack for later??”

Gibson said the snails are the Pomacea canaliculata species and also found their shells on the banks of the Hillsborough River.

“This is a large, invasive freshwater snail from South America,” he wrote. “Unfortunately now, that is not too unusual for the Hillsborough River.”

Do you have a local nature photo you’d like to share? Email it to ashley.reams@patch.com and it could be featured on a future Sunday.