Snail Trail
Jenny writes: A crunch underfoot on the dog walk this morning alerts me to snails on the path! Carefully now, I have to pick my way through them.
Spot the snail!
What kind of snails are they? A brief search found this handy slug and snail ID sheet . A closer look was required.
A Brown-lipped Snail (Cepaea nemoralis) I think !
Coming down to snail level, the short grass appears jungle like. This got me wondering about the their point of view … Thom Gunn’s poem Considering the Snail is thoughtful…I’d love to know what is going through their minds?
Possibly ‘Where’s my lunch?’ Snails can munch their way through young plants and be a nuisance in the garden – so protect seedlings with fleece and cloches, encourage snail eating birds, frogs, toads, hedgehogs and beetles. Collect snails by torchlight on a mild, damp night – rehome them somewhere where they are free to roam and eat what they please! Happy gardening, Jenny
I recently read A Slow Passion: Snails, My Garden and Me
by Ruth Brooks
Part autobiographical, part science. Recommended! Jenny
One to add to the reading list, thanks for the recommendation Jenny.
Each morning I collect a handful of snails from my 8×6 greenhouse and carry them around the corner to the lush grass meadow where they can munch away. (one reason for ‘around a corner’ is that I was told that snails’ homing instinct does not go around bends !)
Dear John
That is a great story, regardless of the truth of the claim about snails’ homing instinct!