Garden Snail
ExploreInvertebrate
Garden Snail
cornu aspersum
The Garden Snail is a slow-moving creature with a spiral shell that can be found in many gardens. They love to munch on leaves and flowers, making them an important part of the garden ecosystem!
Habitat: Gardens, parks, and moist areas with plenty of vegetation.
Appearance
The Garden Snail has a distinctive globular, coiled shell, typically brownish-yellow with darker, broken spiral bands. Its soft, grey-brown body emerges with two pairs of retractable tentacles; the longer upper pair bears its eyes at the tips.
KingdomAnimaliaPhylumMolluscaClassGastropodaOrderStylommatophoraFamilyHelicidaeGenusCornu
Category
InvertebrateRarity
Common
Danger
1/5 · Very low
Snaps
35
Interesting facts
A snail's 'tongue,' or radula, has thousands of tiny teeth for grating food.
Garden Snails are hermaphrodites, meaning each snail has both male and female reproductive organs!
They breathe through a tiny pore on their side, not through their mouth or nose!
They can repair their own shell if it gets damaged, growing new calcium to fix it.
Special abilities
Ability
Slime Trail Navigator
Garden Snail can glide smoothly on a self-produced sticky mucus trail, allowing it to move over rough surfaces without injury.
Ability
Shell Fortress
Garden Snail can quickly pull its entire soft body into its sturdy, spiral shell for protection from predators or dryness.
Ability
Drought Sleeper
Garden Snail can seal its shell opening with a hardened mucus film to survive long periods of drought or extreme heat.
Measurements & details
- Body Length Cm
- 3-5
- Shell Diameter Cm
- 2.5-4
- Weight G
- 5-20
- Lifespan Years
- 2-5
Diet & Feeding
They are plant-eaters, feasting on leaves, fruits, and decaying matter found in gardens.
Primary Foods
- Leaves
- Flowers
- Fruits
- Vegetables
- Algae
- Decaying plant matter
Foraging Method
- Grazing
Ecological connections
eaten by
Song Thrush
Turdus philomelos
Song Thrushes crack snail shells on stones to eat them.
eaten by
European Hedgehog
Erinaceus europaeus
Hedgehogs are important predators that eat many garden snails.
eats
Lettuce
Lactuca sativa
Garden snails commonly feed on lettuce leaves in gardens.
eaten by
Violet Ground Beetle
Carabus violaceus
Some ground beetles, like this one, prey on snails.
Traits
Solitary
Solitary animals live alone for most of their lives, only interacting with others for mating or parental care.
Colorful
Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors.
Herbivorous
This trait characterizes organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of plant material.
Decomposer
Describes organisms that break down dead organic material, recycling nutrients back into the ecosystem.
Diurnal
Diurnal animals are primarily active during daylight hours, typically resting or sleeping at night.
Also known as
Brown Garden SnailCommon SnailEuropean Garden Snail
Collections
Safety
Danger
1/5 · Very low
No special safety notes yet.
Frequently Asked Questions
How to identify Garden Snail?
The easiest way to identify Garden Snail is to use the Snappit nature identifier app.
How long is Garden Snail?
3-5
How big is Garden Snail?
2.5-4
How much does Garden Snail weigh?
5-20
How long does Garden Snail live?
2-5
What does Garden Snail eat?
They are plant-eaters, feasting on leaves, fruits, and decaying matter found in gardens.
Where is Garden Snail usually found?
Gardens, parks, and moist areas with plenty of vegetation.
How does Garden Snail hunt?
Grazing
Snap Map
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Recent Snaps
Jun 19, 2026
Discovery Parki
Photo attribution
(c) Zachary M.C., some rights reserved (CC BY)
License: CC BY 4.0 ↗
Image may be shown cropped inside the card frame.
Jun 6, 2026
Venice Canal Historic Districti
Photo attribution
(c) Roberto Daniel Avila, some rights reserved (CC BY)
License: CC BY 4.0 ↗
Image may be shown cropped inside the card frame.
Where to spot
Park48 sightings50 species
Colorado, US
City Park
You might spot Eastern Fox Squirrel, Bee, and Duck.
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Park23 sightings50 species
California, US
Crystal Cove Historic District
You might spot Sunburst Anemone, Ochre Sea Star, and Striped Shore Crab.
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Park47 sightings50 species
Washington, US
Discovery Park
You might spot Great Blue Heron, Aggregating Anemone, and Ochre Sea Star.
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Park50 sightings50 species
California, US
Sonoma Botanical Garden
You might spot Mule Deer, Turkey, and Duck.
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Park41 sightings50 species
California, US
South Bonnie Brae Tract Historic District
You might spot Eastern Fox Squirrel, Bee, and House Sparrow.
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Zoo30 sightings14 species
Utah, US
The Living Planet Aquarium
You might spot Great White Shark and Gentoo Penguin.
View guide →
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