Pest survey card on Pomacea spp.

This pest survey card was prepared in the context of the EFSA mandate on plant pest surveillance (M‐2017‐0137) at the request of the European Commission. Its purpose is to assist the Member States in preparing their survey activities for Pomaceaspp. using a statistically sound and risk‐based pest survey approach.Pomacea spp. are Union quarantine pestswith a restricted distribution in the EU. The apple snail's habitat consists of shallow, aquatic, freshwater areas containing aquatic macrophytes. The area of potential establishment comprises part of southern Europe including the rice‐producing areas and most of the wetlands, and the Balkans up to the latitude of the Danube River.The expected rate of natural long‐distance spread is low, but on a local and regional level the natural spread is effective and it can be several kilometres per year.Pomaceaspp. are polyphagous;however,the surveys in the EU should mainly focus on rice paddies and adjacent canals and contiguous suitable natural areas. The surveys should focus on the detection of the eggmassesthroughout the rice crop season.Egg masses are laid on emerging surfaces, whereas the snails are amphibian and spend most of their time underwater.If specimens of Pomacea spp. are found, samples should be taken to the laboratory for confirmation of the snail identity based on morphological characteristics and molecular identification methods.