Report #349 - Report: Brown Garden Snail (Cornu aspersum)

Brown Garden Snail (Cornu aspersum) on Jun 4, 2009

Submitter has sample

Description of specimen

Snails, brown, stripes of varying shades of brown, tan, following the curvature of the shell, with lighter, narrower, crosswise stripes. 0.5-1.5 in diameter shells.
In an area of about 2 blocks, the snails were so thick on the sidewalk it was hard to walk without stepping on them. This was after a heavy, windy rain - maybe they were blown, washed out of trees?
I have rarely seen snails in the 30 years I have lived in this neighborhood. Never any like these.

Commentary

Hi Clara, although snail shells can be highly variable in color (and this is certainly true of Theba pisana), the description of the snails found matches that of European brown garden snail, commonly referred to as Helix aspersa (the generic epithet has been changed several times in the past few years). EBGS can be quite common in the Portland area and would certainly be the most likely candidate meeting this description. The problem is that there are many snails of roughly that size with that type of shell coloration. The only way to be sure is to get specimens. Thank you for your report!

Lisa DeBruyckere
June 10, 2009, 2:59 a.m.

Brown Garden Snail (Cornu aspersum) on Jun 4, 2009

Description of specimen

Commentary

Location

Expert Reviewer