The Helix Aspersa Muller

General Description

The Helix Aspersa Muller, also referred to as the common garden snail, is one of the most well known snail species in the world. As all land snails, the Helix Aspersa belongs to the gastropod mollusk category. The Helix Aspersa snail is one of the most populated land mollusks in the world.

Although the Helix Aspersa snail is commonly known as the European Brown Garden Snail, they have been given various scientific names. Some scientists have named the species Cornu Aspersum, other refer to it as Cantareus Aspersus while others have named it Cryptomphalus Asperses.

The Helix Aspersa originally originates from Europe. Nonetheless, it has been introduced in other countries throughout the world where they are regarded as pests, destroying farmer’s crops and gardens.

The Anatomy of the Helix Aspersa Muller

Helix Aspersa snails have one lung from which it breathes air. Their soft body is a brownish colour, which is covered with slickly and slimy mucus substance.

Their shells have a yellowy or creamy colour with brown-coloured circled rings. When the snail matures its shell creates a lip on the edge which is attached on its body. Their shell’s height usually ranges from 1-1.4 inches and its width ranges from 1-1.5 inches.

The Helix Aspersa snail’s foot is made up of a flat muscular organ that aids it move. The snail moves by gliding on the ground. It exudes mucus to help it move more smoothly by reducing the friction when moving on rough surfaces. The mucus is the main reason snails leave a wet pattern of slime.

Generally, the Helix Aspersa snail is active at night and very early in the mornings before the sun is up completely. They are also active on rainy and cloudy days when the sun is not bright and shinning.

Several Helix Aspersa snails are known to hibernate during the winter season. Hibernation is most common amongst mature snails. During spring they emerge from hibernation and become active once again.

They move extremely slowly. Their fastest speed has been recorded at 1.3 centimetres every second.

The Helix Aspersa snail originally originated from the British islands, Western European countries and the Mediterranean. Through the passage of time they reached other countries also like the Middle East and North Africa.

Today they have been expanded in other countries like the USA, New Zealand, Mexico, South Africa, Canada, Australia, Chile, Argentina to name a few. They are regarded as nuisance and pests as they destroy agricultural crops and plants. It is estimated that the snails were introduced into the new countries accidently when plants or vegetable imports reached these countries.

The Helix Aspersa garden snails are herbivores which feed on plants, crops, fruit and cereals. Their mouths are found under their tentacles. Their mouth is dotted with a toothed line known as the radula. The radula is rough enabling the snails to tear their food. The majority of molluscs have a radula.

Similar to other gastropod molluscs, the Helix Aspersa snails are hermaphrodites meaning their body have both male and female sexual organs. Although hermaphrodites can fertilise themselves, the Helix Aspersa snail needs to mate in order to fertilise.

The mating procedure of the snail is a complicated and interesting process. After courtship, the mating process lasts from four to twelve hours. While mating, the snails exchange a love dart which is a type of calcareous arrow. The purpose of the love dart has not been explained yet.

Approximately three to eight days after the mating takes place, both the snails deliver approximately eighty to one hundred eggs. Each snail then creates a nest in order to lay its eggs. They create the nest by digging the soil with their foot approximately 1-1.5 inches deep. Each snail can carry and deliver eggs up to six times every year. Each baby snail takes one to two years to fully mature and develop into an adult snail.

Predators of Helix Aspersa Snails

Lizards, frogs, worms, predatory insects and other snail species are common predators that feed on the Helix Aspersa snail. Several bird species like the duck is also one of the snail’s predators. 

Humans eat the Helix Aspersa snail. Most usually confuse this breed with the popular Helix Pomatia breed of snail which is known as the Escargot.

Although the Helix Aspersa Snail is a dangerous pest that destroys farmer’s crops and plants, its popularity is constantly increasing in the cosmetic world sue to their mucus. The snail’s mucus consists of regenerative features that are used in cosmetics in our days.