Back in 2011, Florida faced an invasion—no, not by alligators, snakes, or mosquitoes (we’re used to those)—but by giant African land snails. These are no ordinary snails; they’re massive, slimy critters that can grow up to 8 inches long and are known to munch through stucco, concrete, and pretty much any plant they can slime their way onto. They’re also known carriers of a parasite that can cause meningitis in humans, adding a bit of menace to their already unsavory reputation.

When the first sightings were reported, Florida officials quickly realized they had a huge (and unusual) problem on their hands. These snails were multiplying faster than rabbits on a lettuce farm, and they were tough little creatures. Pest control teams suited up and set out to hunt the snail invaders, using everything from chemicals to salt, but the snails seemed nearly indestructible.

One story goes that a homeowner in Miami-Dade County found the snails munching on the side of her house. She tried to shoo them away, but they just kept coming, leaving a trail of slime that no amount of garden hose could wash away. Pretty soon, sightings popped up all over, with locals describing the snails as “shell-covered bulldozers.”

The snails even made it into the “weird news” sections of major news outlets, becoming Florida’s own version of a slow-moving horror movie. But for locals, it was just another Tuesday. After all, in a state where people run into alligators at the local golf course, having a few slimy giants around was hardly a reason to panic.

It took over a decade of dedicated eradication efforts, but by 2021, officials finally declared Florida free of the snail menace—only for a new batch to show up a year later! Today, the giant African land snail saga lives on as a hilarious (and slimy) reminder that Florida isn’t just home to alligators and pythons but, apparently, giant snails with a taste for plaster and adventure.