cehwiedel: Opinion, Analysis, Humor,
Satire, Mystery,
Fantasy & Facts
Fantasy & Facts
Garden Snail
This handsome specimen of Helix aspersa was
crawling up a neighbor’s wall. The photographs have
actually been rotated 180 degrees.
Snails and slugs are mollusks that have
adapted to living on land instead of in water, and are famously
edible (at least when swimming in garlic butter). Mother Earth News
has an article describing how to identify, harvest and prepare the
tastiest varieties. (Bran is a good lure.)
While most Americans may not appreciate
the menu possibilities offered by garden snails, they should
easily recognize a valuable gem created by both freshwater and
saltwater mollusks: pearls.
(Gee, does that mean that garden snails or slugs can make
pearls?)
Other places to find out about the brown
garden snail:
The Garden Safari has more photos. The University of Florida
has details on
distribution, life cycle and management.
The North Coast Journal will tell you that these snails are
hermaphrodites, each individual possessing both male and female
sex organs and, after mutual fertilization, laying eggs. The
author suggests various methods of ridding your garden of the
pests, but does not seem inclined to include them on his table.
For suggestions on snail control beyond a
sharp knife, snail bait, saltwater or livestock management,
consider Dead Snails Leave No
Trails by Loren
Nancarrow.
Snails are closely related to clams and
oysters, and may be prepared in many of the same ways.
