9 Common Types Of Garden Snails

Their distinctive shell patterns and leisurely movements make them a common sight in gardens and yards. Let’s get into the world of garden snails, exploring their different types, scientific names, classifications, and more.

 

Types of Garden Snails 

• Common Garden Snail (Cornu aspersum):

The Common Garden Snail is a widely found species in gardens and yards across the globe. Their shells can be either light or dark brown.

These snails have a strong appetite for plants, which often makes them pests in gardens. They leave a noticeable slimy trail behind them as they move, this trail helps them in their navigation and prevents dehydration.

• White Garden Snail (Theba pisana):

The White Garden Snail can be easily recognized by its cream-colored shell with brown markings. These snails can grow up to 25 mm wide.

They are often seen in Mediterranean regions, where they live in different places like coastal areas, grasslands, and farms. White Garden Snails mainly eat plants and crops, making them herbivores.

• Grove Snail (Cepaea nemoralis):

The Grove Snail is known for its colorful shell that can have different colors and patterns. The bands on their shells are usually yellow, pink, or brown.

You can easily find grove snails in wooded areas, where they crawl on trees, rocks, and leaves. They also eat plants and grass.

• Banded Wood Snail (Cepaea hortensis):

Banded Wood Snails, look like the Grove Snail. However, its shell has more defined and less varied bands of color when compared to the Grove Snail.

These bands are either yellow or brown, making the snail’s shell stand out. Banded Wood Snails are often found in wooded areas, where they eat different plants.

• Amber Snail (Succinea putris):

The Amber Snail is known for its see-through, amber-colored shell. These snails are often found in wet areas like marshes and wetlands, where they thrive in damp habitats.

Their translucent shell lets light shine through, which makes them look unique. Amber Snails eat algae and rotting plants, helping to recycle nutrients in their environment.

• Vineyard Snail (Cernuella virgata):

The Vineyard Snail, or Cernuella virgata, is a small snail with a cone-shaped shell that has clear ridges. It’s often seen in vineyards and other farmed areas, where it can live among the plants and soil.

• Turkish Snail (Helix lucorum):

Turkish Snails are known for their big, thick shell that are white with brown bands. These snails are common in Turkey and other parts of the Mediterranean, where they live in different places like forests, grasslands, and farms.  Because they’re big and have strong shells, they’re not as easy for predators to eat as smaller snails.

• Strawberry Snail (Trochulus striolatus):

Strawberry Snails are usually small and cone-shaped with fine ridges. These snails are usually found in grassy areas, where they crawl on grass and other plants.

Even though they’re small, Strawberry Snails are important for the environment. They help break down dead plants and put nutrients back into the soil.

• Sandhill Snail (Eobania vermiculata):

The Sandhill Snails, are often found in sandy areas, where they crawl on dunes and other sandy spots. They eat plants and vegetation in their sandy home.

 

Read also: Easy Steps To Get Rid of Snails in Aquarium

 

Frequently Asked Questions

Q. How Many Types of Snails Do We Have?
A. There are more than 60,000 types of snails around the world. These snails come in all sizes, shapes, and colors, and they live in different places like freshwater, saltwater, and on land. Each type of snail has its special traits and ways of living that help it survive in its particular environment.

Q. What Is the Scientific Name of Snails?
A. The scientific name for snails is “Gastropoda.” This name refers to the large class of mollusks that includes snails, slugs, and other similar creatures. The name “Gastropoda” comes from Greek words that mean “stomach foot,” describing how these animals move by gliding on a muscular “foot” under their bodies.

Q. What Is the Classification of a Snail?
A. Snails are classified into seven main categories, including Kingdom, Phylum, Class, Order, Family, Genus, and Species. The classification of a garden snail would be as follows:

• Kingdom: Animalia
• Phylum: Mollusca
• Class: Gastropoda
• Order: Pulmonata
• Family: Helicidae
• Genus: Helix
• Species: Helix aspersa

Q. What Are the Classes of Land Snail?
A. Land snails are part of the Gastropoda class in the Mollusca phylum. Within Gastropoda, there are different groups or subclasses. One of these is Pulmonata, which includes most land snails. Pulmonata snails have a lung-like organ called a pallial lung that lets them breathe air.

Q. Can Snails Live in Water?
A. Yes, some types of snails can live in water. These aquatic snails are suited to freshwater or saltwater habitats and can be found in ponds, lakes, rivers, and oceans around the world. They have evolved special features like gills to breathe underwater, which help them survive in aquatic environments.

Q. Which Animals Eat Snails?
A. Many animals eat snails as part of their diet. Some common snail predators are birds like thrushes, starlings, and blackbirds, as well as mammals such as hedgehogs, shrews, and rodents.

 

Read also: How to Get Rid of Slugs from The Garden

 

Conclusion

Garden snails are interesting and varied creatures that are vital to ecosystems around the world. Learning about their different types, scientific classifications, and habitats helps us see the beauty and significance of these special animals in our gardens and the broader environment.

 

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