Heads up Floridians!!!!
University of Florida researchers report that the rat lungworm parasite, which can cause deadly disease in humans and in animals, has been found in a new host in Florida with its discovery in Cuban treefrogs, an invasive species.

The finding represents the first time an anuran — a frog or toad amphibian — has been identified as a host for the parasitic nematode in the state, although it has previously been identified in a variety of other hosts in Florida.

The frogs were found in Volusia County, where the rat lungworm had not previously been detected, the researchers said in a study published online Jan. 31 in the Journal of Wildlife Diseases.

That's just part of the article. Click here to read:
https://ufhealth.org/news/2022...

Yikes! Thats not good.

Id like to think the freeze took care of some. It seems to have just slowed them down and made them easier to catch for the freezer. Im overrun with them. Brought them inside with the orchids and that was no fun either. Much easier to freeze if they have scared the begezus out of you.

Ugh, . I have seen the snakes eat them on a few occasions, hope it doesn't harm the snakes too. I've seen a few dead snakes in the past couple years, like it was just crawling along and died, no apparent injuries to the snake.

Sherry I have seen the same thing with snakes here too!

They have a terrible problem with that disease in Hawaii. The rodents spread it in the fields. They practically have to sterilize their veg before they eat them.

I have a good friend that moved to Hawaii a few years ago and started a landscaping business, she has a farm on the Island of Oahu, I know she said there isn't many snakes or raptors there, so that would make sense that rats could get out of control, especially with year round warm weather.

Interesting fact though, they actually order a lot of landscaping plants from Florida.

That's funny, the shipping costs must be high going west. Most of the growers there have an agreement with Fed ex, etc. for very low rates coming east. Hawaii does not produce anything , pineapples maybe, and much of their food and household items have to be imported from the mainland. To keep the planes from flying completely empty when they return stateside they offer special rates. I get plants Fed Ex'd from Vintage Green Farms on the Big Island for lower shipping costs than I can get in state.