Land snails

Helix aspersa, the common garden snail

On the right are 2 Helix aspersa, the common garden snail mating, for more on mating see the main Snail page. When fully grown the Common garden snail will reach a height of 25-35 mm and a width of 25-40 mm.

Helix aspersa, the Common garden snail - Cepaea nemoralis, the banded snail or black-lipped hedge snail - Cepaea hortensis, the white-lipped hedge snail - Cochlicella acuta - Cochlodina laminata (aka Marpessa laminata), the painted door snail

Cepaea nemoralis, banded snail or black lipped hedge snail

Cepaea nemoralis, the banded snail or black-lipped hedge snail

On the left is one of the most commonly found snails in the garden, Cepaea nemoralis, the banded snail. The light colour varies considerably from white and yellow through to pink and brown. Its main predator is the thrush. This is the snail often used in schools when pupils mark it to study movement.

Cepaea hortensis, the white-lipped hedge snail

On the right is Cepaea hortensis. It ranges in size from 14 - 23 mm wide when fully grown. The scale shown on the right is in millimetres.

Both Cepaea species hibernate over winter by digging into the ground and closing off the mouth of the shell with mucous.

Cochlicella acuta

On the right is a small terrestrial snail Cochlicella acuta. I found many of them on a white wall in Rhodes. It is around 10 mm long and 3-4 mm wide.

Some books say that they cannot be found as far south as the Mediterranean, but this is not the case. It is very similar to the slightly stouter Cochlicella barbara.

Cochlicella acuta, a terrestrial snail in Enidae family

Cochlodina laminata (aka Marpessa laminata), the painted door snail, plaited door snail

Clausiliidae family. Commonly known as door snails. The shells in this family are usually coiled sinistrally (to the left), are sometimes ribbed and narrow. The opening is small and there are usually teeth, folds and projections. There are over 150 described species in Europe.

Most live in forests and among rocks. They hide in crevices, under bark and in heaps of fallen leaves. At night, and when it is wet they crawl out onto rocks or up tree trunk in search of their food - algae and lichens.

Cochlodina laminata (aka Marpessa laminata), the painted door snail, or plaited door snail on the right is common throughout Europe and is associated with birch trees. It lays its eggs in August and September. The young take 2 years to reach maturity, and it is only then that the characteristic teeth at the shell opening develop. The shell has fine, irregular grooves, and is yellow-brown, reddish-brown, height 15- 17 mm, width 4 mm. It is found in woods beside trunks and in bark.

The giant African land snail can be as much as 30 cm long. Originally it was found only in East Africa, but it has been introduced to most other parts of the world. in certain areas of southern Asia it has become an agricultural pest, and in others it is a popular pet.