...or l'escargot des haies. Both names are used in French. In England, it's called the grove snail. I haven't read anything that leads me to think that people eat them. Like me, maybe they just admire their shell's pretty colors.
We don't see a lot of these gastropods around here, but I did see one slowly crossing the road
out near our front gate a few days ago.
Ken, after a bit of research, I find they are only a Grove Snail in the States, where they were deliberately introduced... in the UK we call Cepaea species snails, Lemon Snails or in East Anglia, Grass Snails... they are also called Brown-lipped Snails... but Cepaea nemoralis usually has a brown lip, but Cepaea hortensis actually has a white lip... there are two others... but they are restricted to the Alps and Elbe Valley in east Germany....
ReplyDeleteyes, I am that nerd who has a Field Guide to the Land Snails of Britain and North West Europe!!
But I am not as much of a nerd as one of my school friends who had a vast collection of snail shells and did his PhD on snails....
"Like me, maybe they just admire their shell's pretty colors."
DeleteYup, you can count me in that number!!
They’re very common here, the blackbirds & thrushes like them. 🐧🚜
ReplyDeleteDo the shells retain the color when shed? I have a small collection of "winkle" shells from the shores of the Potomac, they live on the shore and marsh grasses and shed their shells once a year. They are plain and brown.
ReplyDeleteThe red and black bug is impressive also. I bet the snails enjoy all of the rain that you get.
ReplyDelete"Les haies" - thanks I learned a new word. Yes, the shell is pretty.
ReplyDeleteLike Evelyn I’m impressed with the red & black bug. Wonder what it is…
ReplyDeleteWhat a beautiful thing to get to see just down on the road in front of you!
ReplyDelete