Soil & small creatures
Garden snail
A slow traveller who carries her home everywhere.
Snails are soft-bodied animals with a spiral shell. They glide on one big muscular foot.
This friend is very quiet, so you're hearing the place where it lives.
Interesting facts
- Snails glide on a slimy trail called mucus.
- The two long stalks on a snail's head have eyes at the tips.
- Snails like damp weather and often come out after rain.
- A snail's shell grows with it.
Where it lives
Damp places — under leaves, on walls after rain, in shady gardens.
It might be…
- Gliding slowly
- Nibbling a leaf
- Resting inside its shell
Why it matters
Snails help break down old plant material, and they are food for birds and other animals.
Being a good friend
- Crouch down and watch from a little distance.
- Look for its shiny trail.
- Count how far it moves in one minute.
Please don't
- Don't touch, hold or pick it up.
- Don't chase it or block its path.
- Don't take it home — its home is outside.
- Never pull a snail's shell. Its body is attached to it.
- Don't put salt or anything else on a snail.
Mission
Shiny Trail Hunt
After rain, look on walls, paths and leaves.