Facts
8.5 – 9.3 mm diameter
5.5 to 6 whorls
They have the reproductive organs of both males and females which categorizes them as hermaphrodites. However, the myth that they can create offspring on their own is false. They must mate with another and then both of them will have the ability to lay eggs. During the mating process both of them will conceive up to 100 eggs. These eggs are extremely small and they will be deposited into the moist soil. It can take up to four weeks for them to emerge.(snail-world.com)
LIFE CYCLE - Land snails engage in various types of courting rituals to attract mates. They can last for a couple of hours or half a day. They don’t make sounds to call out to each other like many types of animals do because snails don't have the ability to hear. So they use touching as a way of courting. They may cover each other in slime that they produce from their bodies before mating. It is believed this slime also makes it easier for them to engage in the actual mating process. Once they have done so they will go their separate directions. The eggs will be deposited in moist ground where there is plenty of shade. They are under the top layers of soil but if you dig a bit you will be able to find them. Many of the eggs are washed away by rain and water people use in their yards and gardens. When they offspring emerge from their eggs, they immediately need to get calcium into their bodies. They are born with a shell but it is in a fragile state. The calcium will help it to quickly harden up which offers them plenty of protection. The first thing they will instinctively consume after hatching is the shell of the very egg they came from. . For the most part it seems that snails live a life that is slow paced and very basic. You can tell if a snail is full grown or not by looking at the part of the shell that opens up to the rest of the body. If there is a small lip on it then the snail won’t grow anymore. If it is missing then the snail still will continue to get bigger. (snail-world.com)
"Snails are considered to be one of the slowest creatures though on the entire Earth"
What's going on in Wisconsin snail population?
Check out this University of Wisconsin - La Crosse website
Have any questions about North American land Snails and what a reliable professional answer?
Contact Dr. Kathryn E. Perez - or visit her website