The Common Garden Snail, or Helix aspersa, is found throughout much of the world including Europe, North Africa, Asia Minor, and parts of North and South America. It has a hard semispherical shell containing most of its organs and a large foot used for locomotion. While able to self-fertilize, snails often reproduce sexually by stabbing each other with love darts. Snails are hermaphrodites possessing both male and female organs. They are sometimes eaten in escargot dishes and can live up to three years, hibernating when conditions become unfavorable.

1. The Common Garden Snail Kinkele in 1⁰ made this This is what a snail looks like http://spaz.ca/blog/wp-content/uploads/2007/06/snail1.JPG

3. western Europe

4. northwest Africa

5. Asia Minor

6. British Isles

7. Bohemia in the Czech Republic

8. southern Africa

9. Australia,

10. New Zealand,

11. North America

12. southern South America.(they don’t call it “common” for nothing) http://boston.shambhalatimes.org/files/2010/10/our-planet-earth.jpg

13. Appearance and anatomy Helix aspersa has a hard shell of roughly semispherical shape that contains most of the organs. Although Helix aspersa is able to retract completely into its shell, during times of activity the head and foot (a large muscle used for locomotion)extend from opposite ends. The foot can be told apart from the head easily by noting its lack of eyes or tentacles. Also if any of this was a shock to you, please go outside. You’ll like it, I promise. http://www.snail-world.com/images/Snail_diagram_CC_AI2.jpg

14. Relatives of Helix aspersa Other snail species of interest include Achatinaachatina, or the Giant African Land Snail, which can grow to be a foot long, or Ruminadecollata, which is known for its cannibalistic tendencies. http://cdn.webecoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/Archachatina-marginata-african-land-snail.jpg

15. Reproduction Awe… Snails are Hermaphrodites, having both male and female organs. Although they can self-fertilize, to increase genetic diversity they most often reproduce sexually. This consists of one snail stabbing the other with a knifelike appendage known as a “love dart,” how romantic! http://pixdaus.com/pics/1264462188YnCy6BC.jpg

16. You can eat them! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Escargotbordeaux.jpg Snails are often served cooked with garlic and other spices in a popular French dish called Escargot. The texture has been described as “Slightly chewy.” The process of raising snails for food is called “Heliciculture”

17. Hibernation Contrary to popular belief, snails live to around three years. During times of extended dryness or cold winters, snails retract into their shells and paste a layer of mucus across the entrance called a calcareous epiphragm. They can also control the chemical content of their blood to prevent it from freezing. http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/0b/Epiphragma_einer_Weinbergschnecke.JPG