Chinese Mystery Snail
Look out for the Chinese Mystery Snail! These invasive snails have been found in various water bodies throughout New Hampshire, including Lake Winnipesaukee. Native to East Asia, these snails were brought into the U.S. in the late 19th century as a possible food source. When introduced to our waters, they can become detrimental to the health of the lake, stream, or pond, reproducing rapidly and outcompeting native snail species for food and habitat.
Wicwas Lake has been raking thousands of snails from their lake every year, and Lake Waukewan has conducted several snail hunts to remove these snails from their lake.
If you find any of these snails – REMOVE THEM FROM THE WATER and dispose of the snail in the trash. Adult Mystery Snails are approximately 1.5-2 inches in length and an olive green to reddish-brown color with 6-7 whorls on the shell.
In addition to manual removal of these snails in the water, you can also help prevent the spread of any invasive species by cleaning, draining, drying, and inspecting all watercraft and recreational equipment that holds water before entering and leaving a lake.