Wet garden helpers

[Chuck]

Snails are by and large given a bad reputation. But some snails are extremely beneficial, such as the Decollate snail. These snails are actually predators. They will actually hunt and track down other snails, slugs and other ground living bad guys.. A Decollate snail is like a Cheetah as far as speed is concerned in the snail world. They can travel a foot in 5 minutes when on the trail of another tasty snail. They somehow can smell where another snail has traveled and will track him down and eat him. It has been an extremely wet spring here in Central Texas and snails are not usually a problem but I saw this guy and thought it would be a good idea to shed some light on a largely misunderstood beneficial garden helper. The following pics show what a Decollate snail looks like. You can always tell a Decollate snail by its icecream cone shape. I couldn't find a live bad snail but I did find a shell of one which is in blue

 

[splinx]

Finding them here is common, but we also have these big ones which are present in larger quantities: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Achatina_fulica

Not sure if they are in larger quantity, but they are at least easier to find with naked eye.

 

[Chuck]

Finding them here is common, but we also have these big ones which are present in larger quantities: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Achatina_fulica

Not sure if they are in larger quantity, but they are at least easier to find with naked eye.

Finding them here is common, but we also have these big ones which are present in larger quantities: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Achatina_fulica

Not sure if they are in larger quantity, but they are at least easier to find with naked eye.

That snail shown is not classified as a decollate is it. They look similar with the cone shape

 

[Pat]

I have not seen snails in my area, there are plenty of slugs.

 

[ChanellG]

I saw one of these at garden #3, which has no snail population. If I see one again, I'll relocate it to garden #1+2 as there are plenty of the annoying snail variety present. I'd have to see about creating an area for it though, I wouldn't want it to roam freely unless I was sure it wouldn't mess with my plants.

 

[IcyBC]

They are not exactly attractive looking, are they? But I do wish to have them in my garden. We have lots of slugs in our area after the rain, and a few snails will take these numbers down so my dog don't eat them!

 

[JBtheExplorer]

I have both land snails and pond snails. I see slugs too, never had an issue with any of them, though.

 

[tbendl]

Are slugs bad for plants and flowers?

 

[Chuck]

Are slugs bad for plants and flowers?

EXTREMELY and so are the brown garden snails. When I had the misfortune to live in Houston I just about gave up gardening because of them

 

[tbendl]

Ruh ro... I pulled a small one off one of my flowers yesterday, guess I'll need to keep and eye out for them. Thanks Chuck.

 

[claudine]

I had no idea that some snails are predators The one in the picture looks scary! I wouldn't want to see it eating other poor snails

 

[DeborahJane]

Snails really are a pain but baby ones are so cute, so tiny. I try to put down animal friendly, dog and cat friendly that is, Anti snail pellets but it really is impossible to do after every rainfall. I've just bought a tobacco plant, not cigarette type, that will be lovely but I've been warned how the snails love them so I don't know whether to pot it so I can keep an eye on it or to plant in the garden. Does anyone have any advice. I've been told to do both so I'm confused. I've found it hard to squish them but I have when I've been really mad seeing their destruction. We have a far let over the road that has a ménage directly opposite me so I have been known to walk them over the road. One day I was doing so and the poor snail went limp, not only had it never travelled so quickly but it was flying.