Land Snail

Scientific Name: Gastropoda (unspecified species)

Order & Family: Order: Stylommatophora; Family: Various (e.g., Helicidae or Polygyridae)

Size: 10mm to 30mm (shell diameter for this specimen size)

Land Snail

Natural Habitat

Damp, shaded areas such as garden beds, leaf litter, under logs, and temperate forests.

Diet & Feeding

Mostly herbivorous, feeding on decaying organic matter, fungi, algae, and living plants.

Behavior Patterns

Nocturnal or active during damp weather; moves via a muscular foot using mucus for lubrication; can retract into shell for protection or during dry periods.

Risks & Benefits

Benefits the ecosystem by decomposing organic matter; may be a pest in gardens; can carry parasites like lungworm, so handwashing after handling is recommended.

Identified on: 4/29/2026