Spanish hornbills spotted on Imatra

- That's it for usDuring the summer, I made some observations about Spanish snails. There are occurrences at least in Ritikanranta, Kirkkokatu and Itä Siitola, says Imatra's city gardener Erika Luhtanen.

According to the current Alien Species Act (Finlex 1709/2015), property owners are obliged to destroy alien species in their yards and other areas they own because they are a threat to Finland's native species and biodiversity. Importing, rearing, selling and other possession or transfer of alien species and releasing them into the environment is prohibited.

Spanish cirueta

The Spanish snail is usually a large species of brown snail that is found in almost all of Finland. If you have encountered Spanish sedge in the area, you should keep the lawn and yard vegetation short, airy and neat. Piles of leaves and twigs should not be stored in the yard.

Spanish chip snails should be collected and dropped into either boiling water or a closed container containing vinegar. They can also be killed by cutting off their head. All destroyed specimens should always be disposed of in a closed bag or container with dry waste so that the dead specimens do not remain as food for their fellow species. Collecting can be made more efficient by putting moisture-collecting boards, jute sacks on the ground, under which snails will search. Iron phosphate preparations are also available for control. 

Since the eggs and small individuals of the Spanish beetle spread easily with plant waste, soil and seedlings, their distribution and transfer to new areas must be avoided in order to prevent the spread of the Spanish beetle.

The harmless giant snail resembles the Spanish snail

You may well survive with a scare if you have a giant snail belonging to the Finnish species in your yard. Iltalehti says, how do you tell a snail from a Spanish snail. 

About the Spanish Siretana

Act on the management of risks caused by alien species.

You can find more information about alien species and their eradication from the foreign species portal or from the ely center of Southeast Finland; environment.customer serviceely-keskus.fi (umpariston[dot]customer service[at]ely-keskus[dot]fi) and from the environmental department of the Imatra region environmental actionimatra.fi (umparistotoimi[at]imatra[dot]fi)

Report the sighting

Observations of Spanish chipmunks should be reported to the customer service of the city of Imatra, primarily by e-mail at customer serviceimatra.fi (customer service[at]imatra[dot]fi)., phone 020617111.

announce your observations on the foreign species portal.

For more information:

Erika Luhtanen, city gardener, erika.luhtanenimatra.fi (erika[dot]luhtanen[at]imatra[dot]fi), tel. 020 617 4704

Merja Kaksonen, environmental engineer, sea. twinimatra.fi (merja[dot]kaksonen[at]imatra[dot]fi), tel. 020 617 4302