Spanish hornets are found throughout Imatra - remember to dispose of them properly

According to the Alien Species Act (1709/2015) in force, property owners must eradicate alien species from their yards, because they are a threat to Finland's native species and biodiversity.

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Effective methods of killing snails include cutting the snail's head lengthwise between the horns with scissors or crushing the snail's head with sufficient force, e.g. with a stone on a hard surface. Snails can also be killed, like crabs, by dropping them one by one into boiling water, in which case the water should be boiling vigorously the whole time, or by pouring plenty of boiling water (at least twice the amount) over them. Destroyed snails should be packed well and sorted into dry waste.

Environmental engineer of the environmental department of the Imatra region Sirpa Heinänen It is also a reminder that plants should not be moved from yards where snails have been present. Attention should also be paid to the movement of logs and other similar goods, as snails easily attach to different materials and can be transported over long distances, for example in a trailer.

– The problem can spread by moving plants. Therefore, plants or seedlings from the area where snails are found should not be shared with friends or taken to cottages or new areas where this snail problem does not yet exist.

Section 1709 of the Invasive Species Act (2015/3) prohibits the keeping, growing, planting, sowing or other similar handling of an invasive species in a way that could result in the species being released into the environment. This also applies to the transfer of plants if they may contain harmful invasive species, such as Spanish snails.

For more information:

Sirpa Heinänen, environmental engineer at the Imatra Regional Environmental Service, sirpa.heinanenimatra.fi (sirpa[dot]heinanen[at]imatra[dot]fi), tel. 020 617 4391