Have you ever wondered why there are so many snails on rainy days? How do snails reproduce? Did you know that snails are used in beauty shops as part of anti-ageing treatment. Here are more interesting facts about the slimy creatures.
- There are 3 common variety of snails: land snails, freshwater and sea snails. They tend to be quite small in size. The Giant African Land snail can reach almost 12 inches. The average speed of a snail is 1 millimetre per second.
- Some land snails live underground, about an inch from the surface. Despite being nocturnal, when it rains, snails have to come up to the surface to avoid drowning.
- Snails have poor vision. Land snails cannot hear either. They use their enhanced sense of smell to find food. They favour food high in calcium. This is necessary to maintain the strength of their shell.
- Most snail species are herbivores although there are also carnivores or omnivores snails. They gather food at night, eating more in the warmer months to build up food storage for the winter. Snails will die if they are fed food containing salt or sugar.
- While moving, snails leave behind a trail of slime, a lubricant they produce to allow them to easily move across any type of terrain without injuring their body. Therefore they can slide along sharp objects such as a razor blade.
- Snails retract themselves into their shells for protection. In very hot and dry weather, they stay in their shell to avoid drying out.
- You cannot tell apart male and female snails. In fact, they are hermaphrodites, in other words they have both male and female reproductive organs. When mating, both snails will conceive and lay eggs. A typical mating ritual lasts for an average of two to twelve hours. Talk about taking your time.
- And to finish off, snails are delicacies in French cuisine. Be careful though, they can carry parasite that causes meningitis. Make sure they are properly cooked.
I will not be eating snails anytime soon but I’ll definitely give them more room on the pavement next time they come out.
Enigma Demystified 