European Brown Garden Snail

European Brown Garden Snail

The European brown garden snail, Helix aspersa (Muller), is an introduced species of edible terrestrial snail.

European brown garden snail
Photo Courtesy Eric Odense, Canadian Food Inspection Agency

Symptoms

Snails have rasping mouthparts that produce irregular holes with raged edges on leaves and fruit. Silvery slime trails and excrement are signs of the presence of snails.

Life Cycle

The European brown garden snail lays its eggs in a cavity excavated about 3 cm deep in the soil. The eggs are round and white, and are about 3 mm in diameter. In excess of 100 eggs can be laid in a clutch, and one to two clutches will be laid per year in cooler climates. The eggs hatch in about two weeks and then the young snails crawl out of the soil cavity to forage. It takes two or more years for the snail to mature.

The snail is active at temperatures of 4.5 to 31.5 ^oC, and can survive temperatures as low as -10 ^oC. It can protect itself from harsh environmental conditions by withdrawing into its shell, where it can survive in a dormant state for weeks or months without eating, or by burrowing into the soil.

Host and Geographical Range

The European brown garden snail feeds on a wide variety of vegetables, flowers and fruit, ornamental plants and weeds. It is found in limited locations on Vancouver Island.

Regulations

The European brown garden snail is a quarantine pest. Importation of live snails into Canada and some U.S. states is prohibited. Raising the snail as a food item is also not permitted in Canada. However other species of snails are permitted as a farmed species.

Management

Baits can be used where snails are a serious problem. Baits containing ferric phosphate can be used safely without the risk of poisoning pets and wildlife. Sprinkle the bait on the surface of the soil around plants. This product is as effective as products containing metaldehyde and much safer to use. Pets are attracted to metaldehyde, therefore it should only be used in a "bait protector". If there are dogs in the area and you wish to use metaldehyde, it is safer to use the ready-to-use liquid formulation. Metaldehyde is not to be applied to plants after edible portions have formed.

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