15 Most Common Types Of Garden Snails [& How To Identify Them]

If you ’re a nurseryman , you might question , “ What are the most common eccentric of garden snails , and how do I distinguish them ? ” And that ’s a respectable question because snails are an important part of the ecosystem , include your garden . We ’ve done the work and compiled a list of the 15 most plebeian types of garden snails .

The most common eccentric of escargot in the United States is the garden snail [ cornu aspersum ] . This snail has a iniquity to chestnut brown scale about 1 - 1⅝ inches in diam and can completely retract its slimy , gray - brown body into its shell .

Some other coarse garden snail admit :

You might see many other character of snails in your garden , so keep understand to learn about 15 of the most common snails . Let ’s get start !

1. Garden Snail

If you find a escargot in your garden , there ’s a good chance that you ’re appear at a rough-cut garden snail , also known as the European brown garden escargot . It has a brown shell about 1 - 1⅝ in in diam and can pull out its soft , grayish - chocolate-brown organic structure completely into the shell .

Since they eat both fresh and break up plant life matter , a few garden snails can be helpful in the compost outgrowth . Too many , though , could import problem , as they might start munching on your survive plants !

2. Milk [or Spanish] Snail

Another import from the Mediterranean milk snails are large , comestible snails that are consideredinvasivein the United States . Since they feed large amounts of fruit and plants , they can be tough for gardeners and aboriginal snail likewise .

They can be recognized by the expectant , spatula - like rim around the opening move of their gloomy brown shell and their large size - about 1⅛-1 ½ in in diameter .

Although milk snail usually cause problems when find outside their original habitat , you’re able to keep them as an easy - to - care - for pet !

3. White-Lipped Snail

Named after the whitened band found around the opening night of its shell , clean - lipped snails are about 1 inch in diameter and located in damp places throughout Europe and North America .

If you find one in North America , fuck that it ’s an invasive metal money that is competing for circumscribed resources .

Since clean - lipped snail are herbivore , you ’ll need to monitor their numbers in your garden closely . They also like to eatcarrion - decomposing fungus , which can gift wellness risks to humans who touch or have them .

4. Brown-Lipped [or Grove] Snail

Also called Grove Snails due to their preference for dampish , wooded areas , Brown - Lipped Snails are among the most common European snail . Now also found in North America , they are debate a mildly invasive metal money .

They ’re a little over 1 inch in diameter and front similar to the blanched - lipped escargot but with a chocolate-brown band at the opening of the shell .

expert word for gardeners , though - grove snails are more interested in eating your garden ’s fallen leave , fungi , and moss than your cautiously tended living flora . This makes them a great add-on to your little ecosystem !

5. Mediterranean Green Snail

Native to the Mediterranean neighborhood of Europe and North Africa , the Mediterranean green escargot is a potentially serious invasive species in North America and Australia . Due to its dieting of works and grass , it could have ecosystem problems through overconsumption .

Unfortunately , these problems extend your garden ’s ecosystem . If you find Mediterranean gullible snail in your garden , your best bet is to have them removed . you may recognize them by their olive - green color and because the outmost whorl of the shell is much self-aggrandizing than the interior part of the ringlet .

6. Roman [or Burgundy] Snail

One of Europe ’s heavy snails , the papistic snail ’s claim to celebrity is being the famed “ escargot ” of Gallic cuisine . primitively retrieve in Europe , the Roman snail eats all parts of plant , let in the leaves , flower , sap , and fruit .

papist snails found outside Europe are typically on farms , but due to their dietary pauperization , they can cause problems if they head for the hills into the natural state . fortunately , they ’re easy to spot due to their large , ridged plate of 1 - 2 inches with a small maw in the centre .

7. White Garden Snail

make after their take snowy shell accented with a browned streak marking the whorl , the blanched garden escargot is about ½ inch in diameter and , unfortunately , a severe pest for gardeners . They voraciously run through trees , shrubs , and leafy works and sometimes congregate in turgid group to feed .

Like many other snails , the snowy garden escargot is an invasive mintage in the beginning regain in the Mediterranean . If you spot them in your garden , they may demand to be root out as they face a terror to both native snails and your plants . Read our articleWhat Is Eating My Bleeding Heart Plant [ And How To Prevent It]?for advice on getting disembarrass of snail .

8. Giant African Land Snail

As their name suggest , giant African land snails are huge , measuring almost 8 in in distance . Mostly found in warm climates , they ’re also one of the world ’s most destructive snails due to their size and the fact that they consume near 500 different types of plant !

Giant African land snail also show a health danger , as they hold the sponger rat lungworm , which can make meningitis . If you find oneself one , do n’t touch it with your scanty paw and notify the right authorities .

9. Orchid Snail

The diminutive [ no bigger than ⅛ column inch ] yellow - gray orchidaceous plant snail get its name from its meal of pick - orchids . These escargot can play mayhem on orchids grown outdoors or in pots by eating their root and induce the plant to become fluid .

Orchid snails will also run through the petals and leaves of their favorite plant . Although they prefer orchids , they ’ll eat other plant , too , so remotion is your best bet if you regain them in your garden . To learn more about caring for orchids , check out our articleWhen to Repot and Transplant an Orchid .

10. Globular Drop Snail

With a buddy-buddy , teardrop - shaped carapace , eyes at the base of their tentacles , and being closely related to shipboard soldier snail , globular driblet snails are unique creatures . They can be found in the southern United States and favor tropical climate .

Its feeding method is also unusual , as it uses its tongue to scrape up up nutrient from plants . Since they are aboriginal to the United States and mostly live in forests and near limestone cliffs , they do not present a great threat to gardens .

11. Broad-banded Forestsnail

find in Canada and the northern one-half of the United States , the broad - band forestsnail is easy to recognize with its yellow and brown stripy shell that grows to about 1¼ inches in diameter . As the name suggests , its preferred home ground is forests and other damp areas .

Since the broad - band forestsnail eats a combining of living plants , fungus , and disintegrate flora , it can be a good addition to your garden in small numbers . Just keep track of how many snails have affect to avoid an plague .

12. Gray-foot Lancetooth Snail

Your plants also do n’t need to fear the gray - foot lancetooth snail , as it is one of the only character of snail that preys on other snails .

Although it has been cognize to eat plant leaves as well , its primary food source is young snails of other species . It has a fortunate - chocolate-brown shell that is about ¼ inches in diam .

Since the gray - pes lancetooth escargot is native to the United States and generally leaves plants alone , it should n’t present problems for your garden . However , you will desire to monitor its comportment if you also have nearby endanger snail species .

13. Toothed Globe Snail

The toothed ball snail , so - shout for a toothlike growth near the carapace ’s possibility , is a large escargot with a solid , yellow shell about 1 - 1⅛ inches in diam . It ’s retrieve in moist , wooded part of Canada and the northerly United States and is considered endangered in Ontario .

Since this snail is rare and eat a limited amount of living and decay vegetation by scrap it into its oral cavity , it does not pose a scourge to your garden . It may really help by speeding up the decomposition of dead plants and folio .

14. Compound Coil Snail

With a casing that looks like a tiny piece of music of coiled rope [ no expectant than ⅛ column inch in diameter ] , the compound whorl snail is a distinctive - look snail found in North America and as an invasive species in the UK . It is blind and usually lives in decaying leaves .

Not only does the chemical compound whorl escargot live in decaying leaves , but it also eat them too ! This do it another expectant companion for your garden since it will go out your plants alone and assist with clean up the infinite .

15. Bronze Pinecone Snail

The bronze pinecone escargot has a lustrous , bronze - colored scale that is approximately one inch in diameter and looks almost like blown glass . They ’re chiefly found in the midwestern and eastern United States and prefer moist , wooded expanse .

Since they typically eat barque , decomposed materials , and leaf , bronze pinecone snails present slight danger to your garden . Keep an eye on the population numbers to assure they do n’t interrupt your ecosystem .

In Closing

snail are an entire part of your garden ’s ecosystem , and it ’s essential to name different type so you recognize which will help and which will harm your plants . We desire that this tilt help you feel more positive in recognizing the 15 most common type of garden snail !