Fresh Cucumber as an Attractant for the Invasive Snail Xerolenta obvia

Abstract: Attraction of the invasive snail Xerolenta obvia (Menke, 1828) to chopped cucumber and to a previously identified attractant based on a steam distillate of dry cat food was assessed with an established field population in Montana. Snails were significantly more attracted to the chopped cucumber than bottled water (control), using both traps and direct observations of attractants deployed in Petri dishes. The chopped cucumber also attracted significantly more snails to traps than the cat food distillate. These results suggest that chopped cucumber could constitute a cheap and simple lure for this and other invasive mollusk species. In addition, odors of chopped cucumber may support development of a new artificial lure, through analysis and reconstruction of the odor with synthetic compounds.