The wanderings of the snail

Tariki · Post by **Tariki** » Sat Oct 01, 2005 5:45 am

I've always been intrigued by the wanderings (perhaps "crawlings") of the common snail.........................the ones that carry their little homes on their backs and are seen slivering about everywhere once the wet weather strikes.

They are obviously very instinctive creatures with a nose for fresh vegetation. As soon as new bedding plants are in the garden, overnight they seek them out and chew them down to the roots (and who could possibly put slug pellets down to stop them?....yuk!) - which slightly spoils the effect in many ways.

Yet on wet nights - and mornings - when the rain strikes they can always be seen heading AWAY from the garden walls and fences and straight towards the road...........which to a snail must appear like the Sahara desert to a human! The danger of this is apparent by the number of squashed shells lying squelched across the pavement.

Why oh why would a snail - with its apparently instinctive nose for fresh eatables - leave the safety of a lush green garden for the perils of the pavement and the road?

This is a serious question!

Any snail experts out there who can advise on this?

lady cop · Post by **lady cop** » Sat Oct 01, 2005 5:50 am

i hope you see see some answers here...

BBC - Science & Nature - Wildfacts - Common snail, garden snail Common snails live in varied habitats. They are often found in gardens, ... Snails can often be found in this state under rocks in gardens or on a wall in a ...

www.bbc.co.uk/nature/wildfacts/factfiles/415.shtml - Similar pagesbrown garden snail - Helix aspersa MÃƒ¼ller

Tariki · Post by **Tariki** » Sat Oct 01, 2005 6:20 am

Thanks lady cop.......................I've taken a quick peep at the info contained on the web pages indicated but can't see any obvious answer to my question..................unless its contained in the short passage about their "reproduction" habits! Could they be going after a little bit of nookie? And like all of us, no doubt, prepared to take a few risks?

:-3

chonsigirl · Post by **chonsigirl** » Sat Oct 01, 2005 6:25 am

Maybe the snail is just out to see the sights of the beautiful world around him!

robinseggs · Post by **robinseggs** » Sat Oct 01, 2005 6:53 am

Funny--we have snails and a garden....but I have never seen what you are describing....I do see that very behavior in our earthworms though!!! I am in MO.

abbey · Post by **abbey** » Sat Oct 01, 2005 8:02 am

Maybe the rain disorientates them, my mums garden is full of them along

with slugs and they only seem to come out after the rain and at night.

Another thought, maybe the rain helps them move along more easily,

so decide to cross the road when its wet cos they're faster.

Nomad · Post by **Nomad** » Sat Oct 01, 2005 11:11 am

I've always been intrigued by the wanderings (perhaps "crawlings") of the common snail.........................the ones that carry their little homes on their backs and are seen slivering about everywhere

snails, nomads, nomads, snails

Lon · Post by **Lon** » Sat Oct 01, 2005 11:20 am

Tariki wrote: I've always been intrigued by the wanderings (perhaps "crawlings") of the common snail.........................the ones that carry their little homes on their backs and are seen slivering about everywhere once the wet weather strikes.

They are obviously very instinctive creatures with a nose for fresh vegetation. As soon as new bedding plants are in the garden, overnight they seek them out and chew them down to the roots (and who could possibly put slug pellets down to stop them?....yuk!) - which slightly spoils the effect in many ways.

Yet on wet nights - and mornings - when the rain strikes they can always be seen heading AWAY from the garden walls and fences and straight towards the road...........which to a snail must appear like the Sahara desert to a human! The danger of this is apparent by the number of squashed shells lying squelched across the pavement.

Why oh why would a snail - with its apparently instinctive nose for fresh eatables - leave the safety of a lush green garden for the perils of the pavement and the road?

This is a serious question!

Any snail experts out there who can advise on this?

Snails cannot see, smell or taste and they have no sense of direction. They therefore wander off. They eat by feeling.

Nomad · Post by **Nomad** » Sat Oct 01, 2005 11:35 am

Lon wrote: Snails cannot see, smell or taste and they have no sense of direction. They therefore wander off. They eat by feeling.

snails, nomads, nomads, snails:D

robinseggs · Post by **robinseggs** » Sat Oct 01, 2005 8:52 pm

Lon wrote: Snails cannot see, smell or taste and they have no sense of direction. They therefore wander off. They eat by feeling.

Is this fact? How do you know this? They have eyes!!!..........don't they?????

Lon · Post by **Lon** » Sat Oct 01, 2005 9:20 pm

robinseggs wrote: Is this fact? How do you know this? They have eyes!!!..........don't they?????

no they don't

theia · Post by **theia** » Sat Oct 01, 2005 9:27 pm

Lon wrote: Snails cannot see, smell or taste and they have no sense of direction. They therefore wander off. They eat by feeling.

They don't have a lot going for them really, then. Bit like me. Lost all sense of smell and taste after a recent cold. And I haven't got a clue where I'm going.

:yh_doh

abbey · Post by **abbey** » Sun Oct 02, 2005 1:44 am

If like me you dont kill anything, to keep snails & slugs away from your plants,

scatter eggshells around the garden, and they wont trail over it.

Lon · Post by **Lon** » Sun Oct 02, 2005 2:46 am

Far Rider wrote: Confession time...

I'm one of those kids that killed snails.... and belive it or not...them stupid slimy good for nothins will crawl accross a salt trail too? melt themselves... go figure?:-3

I liked squishing them as a kid and still do it as an adult, and don't feel guilty about it either. I also like eating them as escargot, however, all you really can taste is the garlic.

theia · Post by **theia** » Sun Oct 02, 2005 3:50 am

Lon wrote: I liked squishing them as a kid and still do it as an adult, and don't feel guilty about it either. I also like eating them as escargot, however, all you really can taste is the garlic.

Don't ask me why, Lon, (though it may be due to incipient derangement or a ridiculous and questionable sense of humour) but I was impelled to post this:

Quote [snail] I liked squishing them as a kid and still do it as an adult, and don't feel guilty about it either. I also like eating them as "etre humain", however all you can really taste is the garlic.

:yh_giggle :yh_sick

Accountable · Post by **Accountable** » Sun Oct 02, 2005 4:49 am

I think the rain's cold, and they feel the heat from the road. How's that?

Accountable · Post by **Accountable** » Sun Oct 02, 2005 4:53 am

Nomad wrote: I've always been intrigued by the wanderings (perhaps "crawlings") of the common snail.........................the ones that carry their little homes on their backs and are seen slivering about everywhere

snails, nomads, nomads, snails
I have noticed that slimey, glowing trail you leave. I just didn't want to embarass you so I didn't mention it. :yh_giggle

chonsigirl · Post by **chonsigirl** » Sun Oct 02, 2005 5:49 am

Trail of a Nomadic snail.............

Nomad · Post by **Nomad** » Sun Oct 02, 2005 6:08 am

Accountable wrote: I have noticed that slimey, glowing trail you leave. I just didn't want to embarass you so I didn't mention it. :yh_giggle

WRONG !

Nomad · Post by **Nomad** » Sun Oct 02, 2005 6:12 am

Im sorry ok foopy but I liked your journal. Had to say it now Im done.

Tariki · Post by **Tariki** » Sun Oct 02, 2005 6:14 am

Far Rider wrote: Confession time...

I'm one of those kids that killed snails.... and belive it or not...them stupid slimy good for nothins will crawl accross a salt trail too? melt themselves... go figure?:-3

shame on you! next your'll be telling us you pulled the wings off flies.......

Anyway, must admit that my own romantic soul prefers the explanations of chonsigirl and Abbey to the more prosaic offerings of some others........

Oh yes! they're off to see the sights...................

................or find that they can move along faster in the rain so decide its time to cross the road while the goings good.........

But thanks Flopstock....................that was genuinely interesting

Nomad · Post by **Nomad** » Sun Oct 02, 2005 6:27 am

We all pulled the wings off flys. Its a ritual, a passing of rites. I myself had a bulletin board that I would pin the flys to, while I systematically tortured them.

Looking back it seems a fine line between boyhood and Jeffrey Dahmerism.

Accountable · Post by **Accountable** » Sun Oct 02, 2005 7:20 am

Com on, guys. Let's get the nomenclature right if we're going to discuss this. We were creating Walks. Right Minks?

Tariki · Post by **Tariki** » Wed Oct 05, 2005 8:30 am

Well, thanks to everyone who contributed. Trying to put things together, perhaps its the case that rain has the effect of disorientating whatever senses/instincts the snails possess (there seems some dispute about the exact nature of these) causing the snail to head away from the safety of its normal habitat towards the terrible dangers of the open road!

For those whose own instincts are to nurture and preserve, who perhaps rescue spiders from baths (rather than send them swirling down the plughole) or scoop insects from water (rather than leave them to wallow unable to move until death takes them)...................maybe you could consider, when the rain strikes and a tiny shell, head peeping out, is spied heading slowly but surely towards obvious danger.........to reach down, take gentle hold of the tiny creature and place it back from whence it has come - a lush green garden (preferable pointing inwards!)

(Notice how their heads withdraw into their shells immediately they are touched - the instinctive sense of self-preservation)

"All beings tremble before danger, all fear death. When one considers this, one does not kill or cause to kill" (Dhammapada)

Hear endeth my sermon for today.

Lon · Post by **Lon** » Wed Oct 05, 2005 8:47 am

robinseggs wrote: Is this fact? How do you know this? They have eyes!!!..........don't they?????

Ha---I'm jus puttin ya on---------Flopstock is the only one that has taken the time to check snails out. Read his post.

robinseggs · Post by **robinseggs** » Wed Oct 05, 2005 9:49 am

I have to laugh.....I never would have believed this thread could have gone on this long!!!!!!!! Geeeeeeeezzz!! No problem though, it's one of the things I love about the garden........we can be so passionate about our discussions!! LOL

Accountable · Post by **Accountable** » Wed Oct 05, 2005 12:47 pm

Lon wrote: Ha---I'm jus puttin ya on---------Flopstock is the only one that has taken the time to check snails out. Read his post.

Pssst! That's her post