A Perilous Journey

White-lipped Snail Cepaea hortensis

One summer’s day I observed this White-lipped Snail Cepaea hortensis as it travelled from leaf to leaf on my crab apple tree. It was very slow going, but how it managed to slide and glide from leaf to leaf without falling off was quite something.

White-lipped Snail Cepaea hortensis

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August 2017, rear garden, Staffordshire, England.

20 thoughts on “A Perilous Journey”

  1. zoomologyblog
    Reply

    I used to love watching snails as a kid! I remember my mum showing me how if I put a snail on a window and watched from the other side, I could see how they moved. 😀 It fascinated me watching the peristaltic motion!

    -Emma

    Liked by 1 person

  8. shoreacres
    Reply

    Most of the snails shells I see are tiny, and without inhabitant. It’s always a pleasure to see a real one, caught in the process of living its life. The shell is especially lovely. I imagine this one to be fairly good-sized, perhaps an inch or two across. Is that about right?

    Liked by 1 person

    • Pete Hillman
      Reply

      You are not far off with your sizes of the shell, Linda. They are just under an inch in diameter and the shell can vary in colour quite a bit. I have quite a few of these in the garden, and some are quite yellow in colour. Thank you for your comment 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

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