# White-lipped Snail (*Cepaea hortensis*) The White-lipped Snail is a small, friendly snail that loves to munch on leaves and flowers. It has a pretty shell with a white lip, making it easy to spot in gardens and parks. - **Category:** [Invertebrate](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/invertebrate) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 1 - **Habitat:** Urban areas ![White-lipped Snail](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Snail-WA_edit02.jpg&width=800) Photo: Image by Mad Max Edited by Fir0002 — compare Snail-WA.jpg , File:Snail-WA papa edit.jpg, CC BY-SA 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Snail-WA_edit02.jpg) ## Appearance The White-lipped Snail has a smooth, glossy shell, typically 18-25mm wide, often yellow, pink, or brown, with or without dark spiral bands. Its most distinct feature is the bright white lip or rim inside the shell's opening. This white lip clearly differentiates it from similar banded snails like the Brown-lipped Snail. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Mollusca - **Class:** Gastropoda - **Order:** Stylommatophora - **Family:** Helicidae - **Genus:** Cepaea ## Interesting facts - A White-lipped Snail's shell grows thicker and stronger as the snail gets older! - They can sometimes climb straight up walls, defying gravity with their strong foot! - They use tiny rasping teeth, called a radula, to scrape food from surfaces! - White-lipped Snails are hermaphrodites, meaning each snail has both male and female parts! ## Special abilities - **Survival Sleeper:** White-lipped Snails can seal their shell with mucus during cold or dry times because this helps them survive harsh conditions. - **Pattern Power:** White-lipped Snails have shells with varied colors and bands that help them blend into different environments and hide from predators. - **Self-healing Shell:** White-lipped Snails can repair small cracks in their shell because this helps them maintain protection and grow bigger. - **Slime Navigator:** White-lipped Snails leave a slimy mucus trail that helps them move smoothly and protect their soft body. ## Measurements & details - **Size:** 18-25 mm - **Lifespan:** 730-1095 days - **Leg Count:** 0 ## Diet & Feeding These snails munch on decaying plants, algae, and sometimes fungi found on surfaces. - **Primary Foods:** decaying leaves, dead plant matter, algae, fungi, lichens - **Foraging Method:** Grazing ## Ecological connections - **Eaten by:** Blackbird (*Turdus merula*) — Snails are a food source for many birds. - **Eaten by:** [European Hedgehog](https://www.snappit.app/explore/european-hedgehog) (*Erinaceus europaeus*) — Hedgehogs actively hunt and consume snails. - **Eaten by:** [Ground Beetle](https://www.snappit.app/explore/ground-beetle) (*Carabus nemoralis*) — Some beetles prey on smaller snails. - **Eats:** [Dandelion](https://www.snappit.app/explore/dandelion) (*Taraxacum officinale*) — Snails graze on various soft plants. ## Traits - [Social](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/social): Social animals live in organized groups, cooperating for survival benefits such as foraging, defense, and raising offspring. - [Solitary](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/solitary): Solitary animals live alone for most of their lives, only interacting with others for mating or parental care. - [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors. - [Herbivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/herbivorous): This trait characterizes organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of plant material. - [Decomposer](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/decomposer): Describes organisms that break down dead organic material, recycling nutrients back into the ecosystem. - [Diurnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/diurnal): Diurnal animals are primarily active during daylight hours, typically resting or sleeping at night. - [Miniature](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/miniature): Pertaining to species that are significantly smaller than typical or average for their kind. - [Urban Friendly](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/urban-friendly): This habitat trait indicates species that can coexist with humans in urban and suburban environments, utilizing man-made structures and green spaces. ## Collections - [Insects](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/insects) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Be gentle if you see a snail and don't pick it up too much; they are delicate creatures. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify White-lipped Snail? Compare body symmetry, shells, segments, legs, tentacles and how the animal moves. Invertebrates span many unrelated groups, so start with body structure. Invertebrate Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How big is White-lipped Snail? 18-25 mm ### How long does White-lipped Snail live? 730-1095 days ### What does White-lipped Snail eat? These snails munch on decaying plants, algae, and sometimes fungi found on surfaces. ### Where is White-lipped Snail usually found? Urban areas ### How does White-lipped Snail hunt? Grazing ### How many legs does White-lipped Snail have? 0 ## Where to spot - [Parc linéaire de la rivière Saint-Charles](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/parc-lin-aire-de-la-rivi-re-saint-charles) — Québec, CA · Park ## More Invertebrate - [Coral](https://www.snappit.app/explore/coral) - [Crab Spider](https://www.snappit.app/explore/crab-spider) (*Mecaphesa asperata*) - [Garden Spider](https://www.snappit.app/explore/garden-spider) (*Araneus diadematus*) - [Brown Recluse Spider](https://www.snappit.app/explore/brown-recluse-spider) (*Loxosceles reclusa*) --- Source: [White-lipped Snail: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-lipped-snail)