It has a black head, gray-translucent body, becomes no more than about 5 inches long - and moves in snail speed.

It is the new and probably invasive snail Black-headed snail that was discovered in Svealand these days. The County Administrative Board of Västra Götaland now wants the public's help to see if it has entered the region.

- The snail eats mainly fruits and vegetables, so there is a risk that there will be large financial costs if it gets spread here, says Marie-Louise Fagerström, nature conservation officer at the county administrative board.

Problems with the snails have been reported in our neighboring countries in the Baltic States. There the snail has gone loose on fruits and vegetables - that's why in Sweden, when the first reports came that the snail also came here, became worried.

But how big can the problem be?

- We do not know if there will be major problems in Sweden, but we do know that there is a problem in the Baltics. That is why we want to meet in the gates and we want to get an overall picture of the situation in the county.

Marie-Louise Fagerholm does not believe that the snails that exist in the county or the country will survive in the minus degrees that come this winter.

- But the eggs probably do. This is where the danger is, and that is why we want to raise awareness so that people can train their eye for spring to come.

The county administrative board invites those who found the snail to take a picture and send it to invasivaarter.nu.

- There we also get the coordinates from where the picture was taken which is very good information for us, says Marie-Louise Fagerholm.

If you find a snail that matches the signal element above then you should take cabbage on it urges Marie-Louise Fagerholm.

How does a snail come to Sweden - it must have taken a long time?

- No, it probably doesn't because it lifts. It has probably come here through cultivation materials, such as plants or in pots or in earthen sacks.

According to Marie-Louise Fagerholm, Gothenburg Natural History Museum wants snails to be delivered to them in order to determine species.

- You can send them either live if you have caught one, or by letter.

Is it snail mail?

- Haha yeah right.

What applies is well summarized by the county administrative board itself on its Facebook page:

“If you find a black-headed snail… please, take a picture and post your find on www.invasivaarter.nu. Then maybe we can counter the snail in the gate. "

The Swedish Environmental Protection Agency's lawyer Anna Sandström tells more about what invasive species is

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