First of all, do any of the species in NE Ohio, or which have ever been found in NE Ohio (pre-pesticide), go crawling up vegetation or buildings like the snails around the Mediterranean do? Just because you do not see the snails does not mean they have all been killed. Most grassland species are tiny. Most forest species are hidden most of the time. Yes, some pesticides kill snails, but do not blame pesticides for making snails that were not there in the first place, disappear.
Allen Aigen
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---------- Original Message ----------
From: "Martin H. Eastburn" <[log in to unmask]>
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: [CONCH-L] Where have all the US snails gone...?
Date: Wed, 29 Apr 2009 11:27:54 -0500
My guess up there - air pollution in general. Acid rain or dust.
Dust from industry that was abrasive or PH harmful. Some ash feels
soft and fluffy to the touch, but on the microscopic level, that we
reach over with a touch, it can be razor like.
In the south that has the native and invading fire ant, they eat what
is handy and have (thank them for this) rid us around East Texas of the
dear tick. I'm concerned for the birds. The bug population is thinning.
I live on 7 acres of grass and cross timber. We try to control them
in a passive or semi-passive way. Allow them away from us, knowing
only a massive attack would rid a hundred or so hives. Now we have
a hybrid ant that changed the way they live and react. No more cemented
clay hills that harm tractors but many hills to walk into or atop.
If you are in the city, yard and city land has been doused with weed killer,
grass grower, and various road chemical. Remember some bug companies
come and spray down the whole lawn to rid the owner of June bugs, termites
and so forth.
Not saying much along the line of DDT and Chlordane now long banned.
Little is known, I suppose, as to the native gastropod population and how
it is controlled or endangered by what we use.
Between the old Eastern block states and Ohio, it is hard to say. The area
you were in might be protected from pollution by a cleaner region to the
west. Assuming the wind pattern is West to East. Environmental Geology
is a
very complex subject. There are layers of reason and doubt.
Martin
Paul Callomon wrote:
> Folks,
>
> The following was sent to me, and with the sender's permission I am
> passing it into the conchlerscape for your erudite comments. Please
> respond to the original sender, not just to the list, as she's not
> (yet) a subscriber.
>
> PC
>
> ****************************************************************************************
>
> Hello,
>
> I am hoping that you can answer a question for me. Upon traveling to
> Bosnia-Herzegovina and Croatia, I found a wide variety of beautiful
> land snails in the grass and on trees every morning (of course I left
> them alone in their natural environment, just took some great snapshots!).
>
> I got to wondering why it is that I have never seen a land snail in
> Northeast Ohio where I live (or anywhere in the US that I've been
> besides a lone one in Florida). My husband, who is from Bosnia, says
> that the land snails here have been exterminated by the chemical
> treatments Americans use on their lawns. Of course, he does tell a
> good old wives tale, so I was wondering if this is one of them or if
> there is any truth to that?
>
> I run an online news blog at http://www.connietalk.com
> <http://www.connietalk.com/>, and I would like to post an article on
> this topic, but haven't yet found a resource to answer that question.
> I have seen quite a bit of decent-sized freshwater snails in our pond,
> but never a land snail...and I've spent a lot of time outdoors!
>
> Thanks in advance and I do hope you can respond!
>
> Regards,
>
> Connie T.
>
> Editor
> http://www.connietalk.com <http://www.connietalk.com/>
> [log in to unmask]
> The Hottest News Blog
--
Martin H. Eastburn
@ home at Lions' Lair with our computer lionslair at consolidated dot net
TSRA, Endowed; NRA LOH & Patron Member, Golden Eagle, Patriot's Medal.
NRA Second Amendment Task Force Charter Founder
IHMSA and NRA Metallic Silhouette maker & member.
http://lufkinced.com/
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