Snail

Helix pomatia

Twenty years inside a shell

Numbers

Weight: 1,2 ozfrom 0.9 to 1.6 oz
Length: 1,6 inshell width, from 1.2 to 2 inches
Height: 1,5 inshell height, from 1.2 to 1.8 inches
Lifespan: 20 yearslifespan up to 20 years; many individuals die earlier from summer drought or winter frost
Maximum lifespan: 35 yearsmaximum documented value, very rare
Maximum altitude: 6900 ftin the Alps; usually remains below 6,600 feet
Eggs per clutch: 65 eggsfrom 40 to 65 according to the English source; the Italian one mentions about 100 eggs laid in summer

it can live up to twenty years, and the documented record is thirty-five, making it one of the longest-lived invertebrates.
in autumn it closes the shell opening with a limestone plug that it manufactures by itself, which is called an epiphragm.
its eyes have fixed lenses, so to change focus it must move the tentacles on which they are mounted.
every individual is a hermaphrodite with both male and female reproductive organs, and breeding begins at the end of May.
hatchlings emerge after three or four weeks and, under unfavorable weather conditions, may eat their newly hatched siblings.
it reaches adulthood very late in life, as sexual maturity is only achieved between two and five years of age.
it eats the eggs of slugs, helping to keep their population under control in the environments where it lives.
its slime contains helicin, an antibacterial substance used in cosmetics and soothing ointments, and historically in cough syrups.
in the Alps it can live at altitudes up to 6,900 feet, although it usually remains below 6,600 feet.
in Great Britain a 1981 law protects it, making it illegal to kill, injure, collect, or sell this creature.

Five questions about this animal. Pick an answer and find out if it is the right one.

Question 1 of 5

How long can a Snail live?

Question 2 of 5

How does it seal its shell during hibernation?

Question 3 of 5

Why must it move its tentacles to see better?

Question 4 of 5

At what age does it become an adult?

Question 5 of 5

What does its slime contain?

Experiment 1

Measure 1.2 inches on a ruler and compare it to a coin: in France it is forbidden to collect any shells smaller than that size.

Experiment 2

Write today's date on a calendar and then write the date twenty years from now, which represents how long a Snail can live.

Experiment 3

Close one eye and try to look at a distant object without moving your head, because snails must move their tentacles to do that.