Most people cringe with the mention of snails in the garden. Often terrestrial snails are given a bad rap. In Florida we have about 140 native and exotic snail and slug species. Most land snails are not pests. They feed on algae and fungi. Most Florida snails are small, seldom noticed, and do not feed on plants.
With regard to snails in general:
What gives these snails a bad name is that they are often confused with slugs, which do eat your plants and cause damage. In walks (creeps? crawls?) the Rosy Wolfsnail (Euglandina rosea) a mollusc native to Florida. This beneficial is predatory on other snails.
Snails, such as this Rosy Wolfsnail have shells. Slugs do not have shells
The Rosy Wolfsnail uses two ways to dine on other snails. In one, it grasps, and consumes the intended prey alive. Alternately when eating smaller snails, it swallows the prey AND its shell.
Only the shell remains of the snail to the left. I guess it was too big to eat the crunchy part too
In its native range which consists of Southeastern Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina and widespread in Florida including the Keys (University of Florida 2009), the snail does not interfere with the balance of nature.
He was in there, just wouldn’t come out to play
Unfortunately, this snail was introduced to control the giant African land snail in certain Pacific Rim countries where they wound up also eating the native snails. This is an important lesson in why exotic species should not be introduced outside their native range. They can overpower native species resulting in their demise. The Rosy Wolfsnail is now an invasive species in that area.
Since I live in Florida, the Rosy Wolfsnail is a welcome visitor to my garden.
© 2012, Loret T. Setters. All rights reserved. This article is the property of BeautifulWildlifeGarden.com If you are reading this at another site, please report that to us
About Loret T. Setters
So the Rosy Wolfsnail is invasive in certain “Pacific Rim countries” but native and okay for Florida? I’m glad you reminded me about snails & slugs. I don’t see many snails at all up here in the So Cal Chaparral, too dry I imagine. But folks that live down below in the flats make quite a game of killing any snails that come into their yard. I will have to check & see now if they are native snails. Thanks.
Kathy Vilim recently posted..California’s White Sage of the Chaparral
I never realized that snails weren’t gardening nightmares but were beneficial when in their native habitat. Now I’m happy to see the native snails and hope that my “wolves” will eat the darn invasive island applesnails that are eating our poor native applesnails. Amazing that what can be so good on one side of the world can create such havoc elsewhere.
Loret recently posted..Condo living for bluebirds?
I have lots of slugs and small snails that do indeed like t eat my plants…I am hopeful the other critters enjoy them.
Donna@Gardens Eye View recently posted..Spring Lessons Learned for Bloom Day
Really I had no idea about the relation between the snails and slugs and their activities. But just now i learned something about them by your nice useful article. Tanks for sharing.
Dominique Rene recently posted..El Informe
I was excited to find snails in my garden … hoping that they would be a step on the ladder for more wildlife. Although they are now eating my veggies. But what will eat snails? Birds and maybe toads? I really am trying to encourage toads to move into my relatively new garden!
thevioletfern recently posted..What’s Blooming: Black Lace and Roses
Toads, turtles, ducks are snails eaters. At my house doves and some of the wading birds (snipes, ibis). This website has a list of some natural slug/snail predators and frogs is at the top of the list
http://www.haywardm.supanet.com/predators.html
Loret recently posted..Condo living for bluebirds?
Some birds eat snails specially during egg laying season. The pregnant females get a craving for them for a good reason. They need calcium to make egg shells.
Beatriz Moisset recently posted..Gallery of Leaf-cutter and Mason Bees