Xerolenta obvia
Abbreviation: N/A
Eastern heath snail is present in: southeastern and eastern Europe (Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Poland, Slovakia), western Germany, southwestern France, as well as southern Canada.
This snail transmits spores of various fungi and is a vector of sheep lungworm. This species is not known to occur in the United States except for 4 sites in the Detroit, Michigan area. Beginning in 2004, PPQ initiated an eradication program in Michigan to prevent the further movement and establishment of this high risk snail.
Eastern heath snail is a pest of the following plants: alfalfa, clover, lupine, sanfoin, serradella (a legume), wheat, and barley. It has been observed locally on a wide variety of plant materials, e.g., grasses, ornamentals, trees (including fruit), shrubs, and weeds.
Evidence of eastern heath snail damage includes: low plant yields and decreased crop quality.
Vector of animal parasites: Protostrongylus rufescens (sheep lungworm), Davainea proglottina (cestode), and Dicrocoelium dendriticum (trematode)
CBP Agriculture Specialists, please refer to manuals for general inspection guidelines. When performing inspections be aware eastern heath snail readily attaches to hard surfaces such as rail cars, international shipping containers, stone and granite tile, and other conveyances used in international trade.
These are small snails up to 22 mm (0.86 inches) in width. They are often described as being dime-sized or smaller. The snails are white, usually with at least one brown spiral band, but there may not be any bands or there may be additional, typically fainter, bands.
