Decollate Snails

~ By Jus Kuntree ~

At first thought, it might seem that snails wouldn't be the best thing to have in your garden. But then again, they just might be. Of course it depends on what kind of snail.

Decollate snails, native to the Mediterranean are cone shaped, nocturnal creatures. They come out at night, and they can be very beneficial to gardeners. During the daytime, they can be found snuggled in to the soil, or layers of mulch.

If plants, for example, are depleted then plant eaters lack sufficient food, starve and die out. If there are not enough plant eaters then the populations of those that eat them expand and start consuming plants until there are no plants left. Of course this will never do, since we humans are also Plant Eaters. So what can be done to help maintain the harmony of co-existence in our Gardens?

They can be a natural means of helping to control slugs and harmful Brown Garden snails, as opposed to using chemicals that may be harmful to pets, children, or the environment. Not only do they feed on adolescent harmful snails, they also eat the eggs, and the eggs of slugs as well. In addition, they will feed on decomposing plant materials. Any area that contains plants that attract snails and slugs, are good areas to consider the addition of some Decollate snails. One downside of using these snails for pest control is the fact that they also eat annelids and land gastropods that are either harmless, or possibly beneficial. And one source that I checked, says that they also eat young seedlings. http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/NE/decollate_snail.html

It would seem to me that much thought should be given as to where you would want to use these snails.

Decollate snails live for about two years, but regularly lay eggs that help keep the cycle of life going. As to how many snails you may need in any given area, is dependent on plant type, amount of moisture, and whether or not they are newly introduced. The more the area is watered, and the thicker the growth, the more Decollates you will need. Generally speaking however, 100 Decollates should take care of anywhere from 100 to 400 square feet.

Here is a photo of Decollates feeding on a Brown Garden snail.

         

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