Some thoughts on snails

For those that live in countries with mild winters, I must explain that a garden in Switzerland usually makes a long sleep between October and February. During the winter we have temperatures beneath freezing, sometimes down to -15°C and there are few plants that live through these temperatures. The eggs laid by various insects remain beneath the earth’s surface waiting for a warmer sun to cause them to hatch.

I discovered some time ago that working on a computer can have its disadvantages. My shoulder was hurting and after a visit to the doctor I was given a computer ban for at least one week. I was not allowed to touch a computer. Not being able to go to work was one part of the problem, but my computer at home was also off limits, so how to pass time. It was Spring, my garden was just beginning to awaken after the Swiss Winter and I had a camera. As I was more or less housebound I started taking photos of my garden, but there were no flowers so I started discovering the insect world. Although many insects are a plague for the gardener, they all have their little purpose in their insect life. As I have three cats at home I avoid using poison in my garden as much as possible, meaning that my insects quite enjoy my garden from time to time, sometimes too much.

I have more than five hundred photos of insects, so here is part of the collection. I decided to dedicate this article to the snails.

In Switzerland there is no German word for slug; either you have a snail without a home, or one with a home. In the dry cold days there is usually no slug to be seen in any corner of the garden. As soon as the European April weather arrives with its rain and winds they seem to appear from nowhere; not just a few here and there, but an army arrives devouring any green leaf on its menu in no time.

So what do we do? There are many solutions to control the invaders. As some know, when the body of a slug comes into contact with salt, it dissolves. I just put myself in the position of a slug. If someone threw acid at me, I would dissolve as well and certainly would not enjoy it, so I decided I would not dissolve the slugs in my garden. Another method I heard about was a saucer filled with beer which attracts them. Sounds quite good, but I do not really want to feed my slugs on beer. So my solution is quite simple. If I see a slug sliming his way through the garden I just pick him up and throw him as far away as possible. I have a small garden so he usually lands on the surrounding lawns or in a neighbour’s garden. My distaste for handling slugs disappeared a long while ago. I can always wash my hands afterwards. It may seem that this is no good solution. I noticed once that a particular bush I had growing in the garden was not doing so well. Something was feeding on the leaves. One evening I went into the garden with a torchlight. The bush was covered in glistening white slugs.

 

It was then that I decided just picking them up and throwing them out of the garden was not the solution. I then bought something known as snail corns here. They are blue and you can sprinkle them on the ground around the plants: a good solution, the snails seem to dehydrate and the curse is put to one side. I noticed that slugs particularly are addicted to a plant we call tagetes, I think commonly known as marigolds. If the slugs had knives and forks they would bring them along as well. The literally feed on their leaves. These corns are dangerous for other animals, but I am glad to say that my cats have had enough sense not to eat them and these corns are the only cure for keeping the slugs away from these plants.
 

 

Now to the snails with the houses: where I leave at the foot of the first chain of the Jura mountains we mainly have the so called white banded snail. They come in all sizes and designs. I have spent many happy hours taking their photographs. Here are a few examples. They are everywhere. It is generally the idea in Switzerland that snails with houses do no great damage in the garden and I must agree that I have never seen that complete plants have been lost through this type of snail.

 

         

There are of course edible snails. These are known as “Weinberg” snails. A larger size than the others and a delicacy. The area where I live is not particularly their home, but I found one in my garden this year and naturally took his photo.

 

Yes, I have eaten snails, but there is not really a lot of meat on them. We usually melt herb butter on them.

I am not an expert on snails, but find them a thankful subject for photos. I am open to any advice where I may have given them the wrong name. I am used to naming insects with the German name and bought myself an insect book in english to find out their correct name.