Apple picking in SW Florida

 Hey there everyone! I know, I know it's been a very long time since my last post. Let me just say that life got in the way, and this is the day before we head back to Virginia, so it will be a while before the next!! I'll try to do better, I promise!!

Jolene and I decided to go find some Apple Snails & Ramshorn shells, based on a trip a friend of ours took recently, and found a nice stash of both. I've been only once, and it was on a walking path and only found Apple Snails, and to be honest, I didn't even know that Ramshorn shells were something from around here! ...They are freshwater snails, not in the Gulf. This is real life Apple snailing....you know, along ponds, in the boonies, as our friend put it, very little to no shade, no bathrooms, very little breeze...HOT, while watching for gators and snakes,  Let me just say, we saw neither, and were very careful to stay in areas without tall grass and along the ponds where the water is clear! It's about an hour drive from my house in Fort Myers. It was pretty but very secluded so I recommend you take a friend!

Like anything else I do, it takes me a bit to "see" these guys, in fact, Jolene noticed them before I did!! We walked right by a few in the grass!

They also are floating in the edge of the water...

Of course, I went and got some highly recommended 'tools' by our friend....I'm not reaching down and grabbing these guys with my hands!!! They are mostly muddy and gooey and can contain anything....fire ants & spiders are known to crawl inside!

Jolene and I both filled up a 2 gallon bucket twice....

and unloaded them into a 5 gal bucket we each brought and left in the car.  The Ramshorns were a little more of a challenge, first, they aren't as abundant and they hide, mostly buried.... I circled one in this pic...

They don't look like much here, but they clean up to be beautiful....as do the apple snails, so many different colors!

here are the ramshorns all cleaned up!

Here are some in my hand to give you a size reference....of course the size varies, but we were looking for the biggie apples!

If this is something you want to try, you should realize that each individual shell has to be rinsed inside and out to get rid of the mud and gunk....and you will be a mess too by the time your done, and you have to clean EACH ONE....something to consider when you get this many!!! LOL!

We didn't see any gators or snakes, but Jolene picked up what she called "Beggar Leeches" which she had to pick off her shelling socks....I wasn't lucky enough to find any of those!!! It's a lot of fun that everyone should try at least once!!! 

I know, what will I do with these?? I'm thinking of trying to paint some cool designs on them....we'll see how it goes!! I'll keep you posted!

I may post one more time right away with pics from my trip this time....the shelling not great but the beach therapy is always amazing! 

Stay Tuned!

::Shelllady Hugs::