Common Garden Snail (Slime Trail)
Scientific Name: Cornu aspersum
Order & Family: Order: Stylommatophora, Family: Helicidae
Size: Trail width: 0.5 to 2.5 cm; Adult shell: 2.5 to 4 cm
Natural Habitat
Gardens, woodlands, and urban areas with high moisture and calcium availability
Diet & Feeding
Herbivorous, consuming a wide variety of plant material, rotting vegetation, and occasionally fruit
Behavior Patterns
Nocturnal or active during rainy periods; uses mucus to aid locomotion and prevent desiccation while moving across surfaces
Risks & Benefits
Benefits the ecosystem as a primary decomposer; can be a significant pest for agriculture and gardens; may carry parasitic nematodes
Identified on: 2/3/2026