New Guinea flatworm: Foreign worm that could wipe out Britain’s snails arrives in Europe via potted plant imports

TOM BAWDEN

ENVIRONMENT EDITOR 

Sunday 23 March 2014

Imports of pot plants should be banned to keep out a highly destructive flatworm that threatens to wipe out the entire snail population, a top British insect expert has warned.

The New Guinea flatworm is set to become the latest “harmful non-native species” to enter Britain under the cover of plants brought in from abroad, after being spotted in Europe for the first time this month. Mr Shardlow said the rapid growth in international trade in potted plants had accelerated the spread of “harmful non-native species” as eggs and insects cross borders by passing under the radar in soil, foliage and branches.

“A flatworm that overwhelms snails in a ‘gang attack’ and has caused many extinctions when introduced to other parts of the world has now arrived in Europe. Urgent action is necessary to save wild British snails – the UK government should close the borders to pot plants,” he said. It is extremely difficult to detect eggs and small bugs in pots, which can be devastating when introduced to alien environments, wreaking havoc on gardens, forests, farmland and ecosystems by upsetting the balance of nature.

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