[5] It is highly variable in coloration and positive identification depends on dissection and inspection of the genitalia.

[5] The only constant color character among different Caribbean island populations is the eye stalk, which is bluish grey with a light brown tip.

[5] Controversially Cowie et al. (2009)[7] considered this species has not yet become established in the US, but it is considered to represent a potentially serious threat as a pest, an invasive species which could negatively affect agriculture, natural ecosystems, human health or commerce.

[5] This species attacks a wide variety of agricultural and horticultural plants including banana, plantain, various beans and peas, peanut, eggplant, cultivars of Brassica (e.g., broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower), carrot, hot and sweet peppers, various citrus species, lettuce, sweet potato, dasheen, eddoe, tannia, tomato, and yam.

[5] They should not be handled with bare hands because they serve as intermediate hosts of the nematode Angiostrongylus costaricensis, which causes a disease called human abdominal angiostrongyliasis.