Cerith Snails take over Fort De Soto beach

ST. PETERSBURG (FOX 13) - Millions of Cerith Snails invaded the beach at Fort De Soto Saturday

It's unclear why the snails took over the beach, but the spectacular scene was caught on camera by outdoor enthusiast, Michael McCarthy with SeeThroughCanoe.com.

"I grew up in FL and have spent most of my life on the water. I have never seen or heard of an invasion of these snails before," McCarthy told FOX 13 news

The tiny snails are common to the beaches of the Bay Area, but not in these numbers. 

Cerith Snails are typically between 1/2 inch and 1 1/2 inches and are popular in saltwater aquariums because they eat algae and waste material.

McCarthy says he mounted his camera on an extended pole to capture the footage while avoiding stepping on the snails.