Just when you think Florida's reached the pinnacle of its weird-o-meter, an infestation of rat snails throws you for a loop!
Miami is reporting that more than 1,000 giant African land snails are being caught each week. And, to really scare you, a horrifying 117,000 have been collected since September of 2011. Dems a lotta snails.
If you're wondering what all the fuss is—they're just snails, after all—these molluscs grow up to a whopping 7 inches. Oh, and did I mention that they eat through stucco and plaster? That's right, homeowners, they'll eat your house. Hide your kids, hide your wife!
Bonus points: They also carry a parasitic rat lungworm which can cause all sorts of fun illnesses, like meningitis. (Though to be fair to the rat snails, there have been no reported cases of meningitis…so far.)
You know what, they're kinda cute though right?
Awww, look at that rat snail! Just rat snailing it up, like a little trooper! And...
OMFG!!! SAVE YOURSELVES!
:-O
