Florida

The Killer Giant Snail That Has A Florida Town Under Quarantine Explained

Published

2 years ago

June 21, 2023

The Killer Giant Snail That Has A Florida Town Under Quarantine Explained

Topline

A South Florida county was put under quarantine on Tuesday after an infestation of the invasive giant African land snail was identified in the hopes of eradicating the dangerous mollusk, which can spread meningitis.

A giant African land snail in the palm of a hand.

NurPhoto via Getty Images

Key Facts

Parts of Broward County Florida went under quarantine on Tuesday amid an infestation of the giant African land snail, which first appeared in the city of Miramar earlier this month.

The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services said in a statement that under the quarantine—which encompasses 3.5 square miles—it’s illegal for residents to move the snails or a regulated item like plants, soil, debris, yard waste and building materials within or from the quarantine area without permission (they are able to leave their homes).

The statement also reports these snails can carry a parasite called rat lungworm, which is known to cause meningitis in humans, which can be deadly.

It’s illegal to import or own the giant African land snail in the U.S. because the species poses such a great risk to the country’s agriculture and human health, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture—in addition to parasites, the snails can carry salmonella and bacteria.

There are two treatment areas where snail bait is released, outlined by a map the department released—treatment includes a snail bait called metaldehyde-based molluscicide, which is safe for residential use.

These snails are very invasive and can cause a lot of damage to the ecosystem and pose a significant food security risk as they eat and contaminate hundreds of different plant species and building exteriors, like plaster, stucco and paint.

Fully grown adult giant African land snails are identified by their brownish, striped shells and can grow up to eight inches long and weigh over two pounds, New York Invasive Species Information reports.

Surprising Fact

The giant African land snail is so large that it’s disqualified from competing in the World Snail Racing Championships, National Geographic reports.

Key Background

The snails were declared eradicated twice in Florida. They first appeared in Miami in 1966 and over 18,000 snails and their eggs were destroyed by 1973. It took 10 years and $1 million to eradicate them, according to the United States Department of Agriculture. They were then reintroduced in 2011, and were completely eradicated in Broward and Miami County in 2021, a culmination of another decade-long battle which resulted in the destruction of 160,000 snails. State officials set a quarantine for Pasco County, north of Tampa, last summer after at least one confirmed sighting. This led to the capture of around 1,000 snails. These snails reproduce rapidly because each snail can lay up to 1,200 eggs a year. They are very invasive and one of the most damaging snail species in the world. They eat around 500 different plants, including cucumbers, peas, beans, ornamental plants and melons, and can also consume tree bark, stucco, paint on buildings and plaster. The snails are native to East Africa and thrive in warm, tropical climates.

Tangent

Parasitic meningitis, though less common than bacterial and viral meningitis, can be fatal and cause inflammation around the brain and spinal cord. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, infection is typically caused by consumption of a contaminated animal or produce, and human to human spread is rare. The parasite can cause severe central nervous system and gastrointestinal damage in humans and a rare form of parasitic meningitis called eosinophilic meningitis (EM). Symptoms of parasitic meningitis include nausea, stiff neck, vomiting, headache, confusion and eye sensitivity to light. Those with EM might experience a low-grade fever, tingling or pain in the skin, weakness or paralysis, a coma, loss of coordination or death. There isn’t a specific treatment for EM, but medication may be given to ease the symptoms, like pain medicine for headaches.

2024 Fall Report: Florida Gulf Coast • D1Baseball

Published

4 hours ago

December 28, 2024

Press Room

2024 Fall Report: Florida Gulf Coast • D1Baseball

Fall Report
Walter Villa – December 28, 2024

In these days of baseball analytics, it’s time to create a new statistic for Dave Tollett, and, in his case, it’s 52 WA.

In other words, Tollett – in 35 years of coaching – has attended the weddings (WA) of 52 of his former players.

“When the young man wants you there on one of the most important days of his life,” Tollett said, “you know you’re doing something right.”

Tollett – the only coach in the history of the Florida Gulf Coast Eagles baseball program – has done a lot of things right as he prepares to enter his 23rd season at FGCU.

Over[…]

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Florida

Florida Lottery Mega Millions, Jackpot Triple Play results for Dec. 27, 2024

Published

12 hours ago

December 28, 2024

Press Room

Florida Lottery Mega Millions, Jackpot Triple Play results for Dec. 27, 2024

The Florida Lottery offers several draw games for those hoping to win one of the available jackpots. Here’s a look at the winning numbers for games played on Friday, Dec. 27, 2024

Winning Mega Millions numbers from Dec. 27 drawing

03-07-37-49-55, Mega Ball: 06, Megaplier: 3

Check Mega Millions payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Jackpot Triple Play numbers from Dec. 27 drawing

08-18-21-23-34-39

Check Jackpot Triple Play payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Cash4Life numbers from Dec. 27 drawing

10-11-21-28-51, Cash Ball: 04

Check Cash4Life payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Fantasy 5 numbers from Dec. 27 drawing

Midday: 09-16-17-21-27

Evening: 04-07-11-31-35

Check Fantasy 5 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Cash Pop numbers from Dec. 27 drawing

Morning: 15

Matinee: 11

Afternoon: 12

Evening: 07

Late Night: 11

Check Cash Pop payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Pick 2 numbers from Dec. 27 drawing

Midday: 8-9, FB: 6

Evening: 8-0, FB: 7

Check Pick 2 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Pick 3 numbers from Dec. 27 drawing

Midday: 2-3-9, FB: 6

Evening: 4-7-0, FB: 7

Check Pick 3 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Pick 4 numbers from Dec. 27 drawing

Midday: 3-8-3-8, FB: 6

Evening: 5-5-0-3, FB: 7

Check Pick 4 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Pick 5 numbers from Dec. 27 drawing

Midday: 0-8-9-4-2, FB: 6

Evening: 6-4-1-2-5, FB: 7

Check Pick 5 payouts and previous drawings here.

Where can you buy Florida Lottery tickets?

Tickets can be purchased in person at any authorized retailer throughout Florida, including gas stations, convenience stores and grocery stores. To find a retailer near you, go to Find Florida Lottery Retailers.

Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results

Are you a winner? Here’s how to claim your prize

Prizes of $599 or less: Claim at any authorized Florida Lottery retailer or Florida Lottery district office.
Prizes for $600 to $1 million: Must be claimed in person at any Florida Lottery district office for games that do not offer an annual payment option.
Prizes greater than $1 million and all prizes with an annual payment option: Must be claimed at Florida Lottery headquarters, except Mega Millions and Powerball prizes, which can be claimed at any Florida Lottery district office.

You also can claim your winnings by mail if the prize is $250,000 or less. Mail your ticket to the Florida Lottery with the required documentation.

Florida law requires public disclosure of winners

If you’re a winner, Florida law mandates the following information is public record:

Full name
City of residence
Game won
Date won
Amount won
Name and location of the retailer where the winning ticket was purchased.

When are the Florida Lottery drawings held?

Powerball: 10:59 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
Mega Millions: 11 p.m. Tuesday and Friday.
Florida Lotto: 11:15 p.m. Wednesday and Saturday.
Jackpot Triple Play: 11:15 p.m. Tuesday and Friday.
Cash4Life: 9 p.m. daily.
Fantasy 5: Daily at 1:05 p.m. and 11:15 p.m.
Cash Pop: Daily at 8:45 a.m., 11:45 a.m., 2:45 p.m., 6:45 p.m. and 11:45 p.m.
Pick 2, 3, 4, 5: Daily at 1:30 p.m. and 9:45 p.m.

This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Florida digital producer. You can send feedback using this form.

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Florida

When to watch the sky in 2025: Florida Space Coast rocket launch schedule

Published

1 day ago

December 27, 2024

Press Room

When to watch the sky in 2025: Florida Space Coast rocket launch schedule

article

ORLANDO, Fla. – Florida is gearing up for a busy 2025 in space exploration, with a packed schedule of rocket launches planned. From high-profile NASA missions to ambitious commercial projects, the launches are poised to push the boundaries of space exploration and technology.

Here is a list of the scheduled and projected missions for 2025:

January

Thuraya 4-NGS:

Thuraya 4-NGS is a communication satellite built by Airbus Defense and Space for the UAE-based Yahsat. The satellite will incorporate a 12-meter L-band antenna and a payload with on-board processing. This processing will provide advanced routing flexibility of up to 3200 channels with dynamic power allocation over many spot beams.

Rocket: SpaceX Falcon 9

Scheduled: January 2, 2025 | 12 a.m. – 12:53 a.m.

SpainSat NG I:

SpainSat NG I is the first of two ‘new-generation’ satellites built by Airbus. These satellites were created to secure communications with the Spanish government, their allies and other international organizations.

Rocket: SpaceX Falcon 9

Scheduled: January 27, 2025 | 11 p.m.

Blue Ghost Lunar Lander Mission 1 & Hakuto-R M2 “Resilience”:

Blue Ghost is a commercial lunar lander by Firefly Aerospace for NASA’s CLPS program. It can carry up to 155 kg of payload to the Moon and will land in the Crisium Basin’s Mare Crisium. The mission is designed to last 14 days before the lander succumbs to the lunar night.

Resilience is the second mission of the Hakuto-R lunar lander, developed by the Japanese company ispace. The lander will carry a small rover designed to study the Moon’s surface. As part of a 2020 NASA contract, the rover will also collect lunar soil (regolith) and transfer its ownership to NASA directly on the Moon.

Rocket: SpaceX Falcon 9

Projected: January 2025

Starlink Group 12-3:

A batch of satellites for the Starlink mega-constellation – SpaceX’s project for space-based Internet communication system.

Rocket: SpaceX Falcon 9

Projected: January 2025

February

Nova-C IM-2:

This will be the second mission for the Nova-C lunar lander, which was developed and built by Intuitive Machines. This mission will carry a NASA payload called PRIME-1, known as the “Polar Resources Ice Mining Experiment-1”. PRIME-1 is anticipated to be the first demonstration of in-situ resource utilization on the Moon. In-situ resource utilization is the practice of using materials found on other planets or moons to create consumables for human or autonomous activities.

Rocket: SpaceX Falcon 9

Scheduled: February 27, 2025 | Time TBD

CAPE CANAVERAL, FL: A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket with the company’s Crew Dragon spacecraft onboard is seen as it is raised into a vertical position on the launch pad (Photo by Joel Kowsky/NASA via Getty Images). (Getty Images)

Bandwagon 3:

A dedicated rideshare mission delivering dozens of microsatellites and nanosatellites to a mid-inclination orbit, serving both commercial and government customers.

Rocket: SpaceX Falcon 9

Projected: February 2025

Transporter 13:

A dedicated rideshare mission transporting dozens of microsatellites and nanosatellites to a sun-synchronous orbit, supporting both commercial and government customers.

Rocket: SpaceX Falcon 9

Projected: February 2025

March

Crew-10:

SpaceX Crew-10 is the tenth crewed operational flight of a Crew Dragon spacecraft to the International Space Station as part of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program.

Commander: Anne McClain (American)
Pilot: Nichole Ayers (American)
Mission Specialist: Kirill Peskov (Russian)
Mission Specialist: Takuya Onishi (Japanese)

Rocket: SpaceX Falcon 9

Scheduled: March 25, 2025 | Time TBD

Blue Moon Pathfinder:

First flight of Blue Origin’s Blue Moon MK1 lunar lander which focuses on robotic exploration.

Rocket: Blue Origin New Glenn

Projected: March 2025

A Blue Origin New Shepard rocket launches from Launch Site One in West Texas north of Van Horn on March 31, 2022. The NS-20 mission carries Blue Origin’s New Shepard Chief Architect Gary Lai, Marty Allen, Sharon Hagle, Marc Hagle, Jim Kitchen, and Dr

Project Kuiper (Atlas V #2):

Project Kuiper is a mega constellation of satellites in Low Earth Orbit that will offer broadband internet access, this constellation will be managed by Kuiper Systems LLC, a subsidiary of Amazon. This constellation is planned to be composed of 3,276 satellites. The satellites are projected to be placed in 98 orbital planes in three orbital layers, one at 590 km, 610 km and 630 km altitude.

Rocket: United Launch Alliance Atlas V 551

Projected: March 2025

Fram2:

Fram2, the first astronaut mission to polar orbit, will launch from Florida aboard a Crew Dragon spacecraft, named after the Norwegian polar research ship Fram. The mission will reach a 90° circular orbit at an altitude of 425–450 km, marking the first human spaceflight over Earth’s polar regions from low-Earth orbit. Equipped with a cupola for Earth observation, the 3-to-5-day mission will study atmospheric phenomena like STEVE (Strong Thermal Emission Velocity Enhancement) and conduct research on the effects of spaceflight on the human body, including capturing the first x-ray images in space and examining behavioral health. The crew includes Chun Wang as mission commander, Jannicke Mikkelsen as vehicle commander, Eric Philips as pilot, and Rabea Rogge as mission specialist.

Rocket: SpaceX Falcon 9

Projected: March 2025

ViaSat-3 EMEA:

The ViaSat-3 series consists of three advanced Ka-band satellites designed to deliver exceptional service speed and flexibility. Each satellite is capable of providing over 1 Terabit per second of network capacity, with the ability to dynamically allocate bandwidth to areas with the highest customer demand.

Rocket: United Launch Alliance Atlas V 551

Projected: March 2025

Dragon CRS-2 SpX-32:

The 32nd commercial resupply mission to the International Space Station, operated by SpaceX under NASA’s second Commercial Resupply Services contract, will use the Cargo Dragon 2 spacecraft. It will deliver supplies and critical materials to support ongoing science and research aboard the orbiting laboratory.

Rocket: SpaceX Falcon 9

Projected: March 2025

April

Axiom Space Mission 4:

This mission is a Crew Dragon flight for Axiom Space. The mission will carry a professional commander and three astronauts to the International Space Station. The crew will stay aboard the space station for at least eight days.

Rocket: SpaceX Falcon 9

Projected: April 2025

May

Bandwagon 4:

This mission is a dedicated rideshare flight to a mid-inclination orbit with dozens of small microsatellites and nanosatellites for commercial and government customers.

Rocket: SpaceX Falcon 9

Projected: May 2025

Dream Chaser CRS 2 Flight 1:

First flight of the Dream Chaser Spaceplane to the ISS.

Rocket: United Launch Alliance Vulcan VC4L

Projected: May 2025

June

EscaPADE:

Blue Origin’s New Glenn launch vehicle will make its maiden flight, carrying the Escape and Plasma Acceleration and Dynamics Explorers (EscaPADE) mission. This dual-spacecraft mission will study ion and sputtered escape from Mars, aiming to understand the processes shaping Mars’ hybrid magnetosphere, how it directs ion flows, the transport of energy and momentum from the solar wind, and the flow of energy and matter into and out of Mars’ atmosphere.

Rocket: Blue Origin New Glenn

Projected: June 2025

Winter Park couple launches with Blue Origin

Blue Origin launched its ninth space tourism flight on Friday. A Winter Park couple was onboard that flight for their second trip to space.

WorldView Legion 5 & 6:

WorldView Legion is a constellation of Earth observation satellites built and operated by Maxar. Constellation is planned to consist of 6 satellites in both polar and mid-inclination orbits, providing 30 cm-class resolution.

Rocket: SpaceX Falcon 9

Projected: June 2025

O3b mPower 9-11:

Last three of a constellation of eleven high-throughput communications satellites in Medium Earth Orbit (MEO) built by Boeing and operated by SES.

Rocket: SpaceX Falcon 9

Projected: June 2025

Project Kuiper (Falcon 9 #1):

First of three launches apart of the contract for Amazon’s Kuiper low Earth orbit satellite internet constellation.

Rocket: SpaceX Falcon 9

Projected: June 2025

Transporter 14:

A dedicated rideshare mission to a sun-synchronous orbit with dozens of small microsatellites and nanosatellites that will be used by commercial and government customers.

Rocket: SpaceX Falcon 9

Projected: June 2025

Cygnus CRS-2 NG-22:

This mission falls under the Commercial Resupply Services contract with NASA. It will be the 22nd flight of the Northrop Grumman unscrewed resupply spacecraft Cygnus and the 21st flight to the International Space Station.

Rocket: SpaceX Falcon 9

Projected: June 2025

July

Crew-11:

SpaceX Crew-11 will be the eleventh crewed operational flight of a Crew Dragon spacecraft to the International Space Station. The mission is apart of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program.

Rocket: SpaceX Falcon 9

Projected: July 2025

MTG-S1:

Second of EUMETSAT’s third generation of weather satellite.

Rocket: SpaceX Falcon 9

Projected: July 2025

September

IMAP & other NASA payloads:

IMAP (Interstellar Mapping and Acceleration Probe) is a NASA mission to study interactions between solar wind and local interstellar medium. Carrying a suite of 10 scientific instruments, IMAP is able to investigate how particles are accelerated, their composition and can help to advance space weather forecasting models. The launch will also include several payloads from NASA.

Rocket: SpaceX Falcon 9

Projected: September 2025

KOMPSAT-7A:

KOMPSAT-7 and 7A are advanced follow-up satellites to KOMPSAT-3A, designed to provide high-resolution satellite imagery to meet the governmental and institutional needs of South Korea.

Rocket: SpaceX Falcon 9

Projected: September 2025

SpainSat NG II:

Second of two new-generation satellites built by Airbus to provide secure communications to the Spanish government, its allies, and various international organizations.

Rocket: SpaceX Falcon 9

Projected: September 2025

SpaceX uses giant arms to grab Falcon Heavy on landing

NASA and SpaceX launched the Europa Clipper spacecraft towards Jupiter on Monday, the largest spacecraft ever built for a planetary mission. A day earlier in Texas, SpaceX celebrated an engineering win — using giant metal arms to literally grab one of its Falcon Heavy Boosters mid-air after returning to Earth after a test flight.

October

Transporter 15:

Dedicated rideshare flight to a sun-synchronous orbit with dozens of small microsatellites and nanosatellites for commercial and government customers.

Rocket: SpaceX Falcon 9

Projected: October 2025

TSIS-2:

The Total and Spectral Solar Irradiance Sensor 2 (TSIS-2) is a NASA satellite that measures the Sun’s energy reaching Earth. It has two key instruments: the Total Irradiance Monitor (TIM), which measures the Sun’s overall brightness, and the Spectral Irradiance Monitor (SIM), which measures energy across different wavelengths covering 96% of the solar spectrum. These instruments are similar to those used in the TSIS-1 mission on the International Space Station.

Rocket: SpaceX Falcon 9

Projected: October 2025

Dragon CRS-2 SpX-33:

The 33rd commercial resupply mission to the International Space Station, operated by SpaceX, is part of NASA’s second Commercial Resupply Services contract. The Cargo Dragon 2 spacecraft will deliver supplies and payloads, including essential materials to support science and research conducted on the station.

Rocket: SpaceX Falcon 9

Scheduled: October 30, 2025

November

Griffin Mission One:

The Astrobotic Griffin lander will undergo a demonstration flight to test its capabilities and engines. This mission was originally planned for NASA’s now-canceled VIPER (Volatiles Investigating Polar Exploration Rover) mission.

Rocket: SpaceX Falcon Heavy

Projected: November 2025

SpaceX rocket launch of 23 Starlink satellites

SpaceX has launched another Falcon 9 carrying 23 Starlink satellites to low-Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40) at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.

Florida’s spaceports are at the heart of 2025’s exciting space missions. From ISS resupply flights to lunar landers and advanced satellites, the state continues to lead the way in space exploration. With more launches ahead, Florida’s skies will stay busy, driving us toward a bright future in space.

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