Snails, not fishing related.

[harelug]

We have had an infestation of mega snails, hoping someone can shed some light to this. Wife planted up a tub of marigolds a couple of weeks ago, next morning, decimated and 7 large snails in tub. We've been putting down slug pelletts ever since and killed off the ones from first incident. Then after 2;3 weeks of drought we had rain last night, went out this morning and found front garden littered with dead snails. Now these aint the banded black and yellow garden snails that the thrushes love, these are big heavy buggers, dark brown, never come across them before. Is this a new phenomenon, global warming? Ihave photos, intended posting one but forgotten how on here. Anyone care to help?

John

[haresear]

I know nothing about snails John, but to post a photo...

http://www.wildfisher.co.uk/smf/index.php?topic=8388.0

Alex

[harelug]

Hopefully a photo

[Fishtales]

They are Common Garden Snails.

http://www.uksafari.com/gardensnail.htm

We have loads of them in our garden too

[haresear]

Those are money snails John. See how they are stalking the 1p piece?

Alex

[Black-Don]

Look like a variety of common garden snails.

Forget the slug pellets and pesticides. Collect any you find live. Grade them by size. Look up cultivating snails on the web. With the largest, put in a dark covered moist container and feed lettuce or cornmeal for a couple of days. This will purge them.

Wash thoroughly, blanch for a minute in boiling salted water, pan fry with butter, olive oil, garlic butter, chopped onion and herbs for ten mins and enjoy with a nice glass of wine and some bread of your choice.

Fatten up the wee ones with cornmeal, breed them and start a snail farm.

If you can't be bothered with this just collect them, give me a ring and I'll come and take them away.  :wink:

Those are money snails John. See how they are stalking the 1p piece?

Alex

Closer to the truth than you realise Alex.

[harelug]

guest

That had already crossed my mind. Any idea how fast they grow? I Imagine it must take a good time to grow such a large shell but I've never seen these in the garden except for 2 last year, now they're all over the place. Definately need to try my culinary skills on them.

[Black-Don]

Did a quick google and came up with this.

http://www.hub-uk.com/interesting02/snails.htm

This is about a couple of French farmers who use Gros Gris North African snails and says theytake about four months to mature. I guess further googling would turn up more detailed info on farming British garden snails.

Seems to do it commercially is quite an intensive business but " from tiny snails tasty l'escargot grow " or so they tell me.  :roll:

[paulr]

Hi John,

I remember only ever seeing those big snails near the coast when I was younger (no, not on the beach). But over the past few years have noticed a lot more in gardens around Glasgow.

cheers

Paul

[harelug]

Think I'll stick to the McEwans export and the slug pellets.