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

If you ’re a nurseryman , you might wonder , “ What are the most common type of garden snails , and how do I discover them ? ” And that ’s a good question because snail are an important part of the ecosystem , including your garden . We ’ve done the piece of work and compile a list of the 15 most common types of garden snail .

The most uncouth type of snail in the United States is the garden escargot [ cornu aspersum ] . This escargot has a darkness to chestnut brown shell about 1 - 1⅝ in in diameter and can completely retract its slimy , grayish - brownish body into its shell .

Some other usual garden snail include :

You might encounter many other types of escargot in your garden , so keep reading to learn about 15 of the most uncouth snails . have ’s get started !

1. Garden Snail

If you find a escargot in your garden , there ’s a good chance that you ’re look at a vernacular garden snail , also known as the European browned garden snail . It has a brownish carapace about 1 - 1⅝ inches in diameter and can pull its soft , grey - brown body entirely into the casing .

Since they eat both fresh and decay plant matter , a few garden snails can be helpful in the composting process . Too many , though , could write trouble , as they might start out munching on your living flora !

2. Milk [or Spanish] Snail

Another import from the Mediterranean Milk River snail are large , edible snails that are consideredinvasivein the United States . Since they rust large amounts of yield and works , they can be problematic for gardeners and native snails likewise .

They can be recognized by the large , spatula - like lip around the opening of their dark brown shell and their magnanimous sizing - about 1⅛-1 ½ inches in diameter .

Although milk snail usually make problems when establish outside their original home ground , you may keep them as an easy - to - care - for ducky !

3. White-Lipped Snail

Named after the blanched dance orchestra see around the opening of its case , white - lipped snails are about 1 in in diameter and located in dampish places throughout Europe and North America .

If you rule one in North America , do it that it ’s an invasive specie that is vie for limited resources .

Since lily-white - lipped snail are herbivore , you ’ll need to supervise their numbers in your garden closely . They also wish to eatcarrion - decomposing fungus , which can stage health risk to humans who pertain or consume them .

4. Brown-Lipped [or Grove] Snail

Also anticipate Grove Snails due to their preference for damp , wooded areas , Brown - Lipped Snails are among the most vernacular European escargot . Now also found in North America , they are considered a gently invasive species .

They ’re a fiddling over 1 in in diam and look similar to the white - lipped snail but with a brown striation at the hatchway of the shell .

Good news for gardeners , though - plantation snails are more interested in eating your garden ’s fall leave , fungus kingdom , and moss than your carefully tend living plants . This makes them a not bad add-on to your little ecosystem !

5. Mediterranean Green Snail

Native to the Mediterranean region of Europe and North Africa , the Mediterranean immature snail is a potentially serious invasive species in North America and Australia . Due to its diet of plants and grass , it could cause ecosystem problems through overconsumption .

Unfortunately , these trouble extend your garden ’s ecosystem . If you find oneself Mediterranean greenish snails in your garden , your sound bet is to have them removed . you could recognize them by their olive - green color and because the outermost whorl of the shield is much handsome than the inner part of the whorl .

6. Roman [or Burgundy] Snail

One of Europe ’s largest snails , the papistic snail ’s claim to celebrity is being the famed “ snail ” of Gallic culinary art . earlier found in Europe , the romish snail eats all part of plants , include the leaves , flowers , sap , and fruit .

Roman snail found outside Europe are typically on farm , but due to their dietary needs , they can make problems if they escape into the wild . as luck would have it , they ’re easy to spot due to their large , ridged shell of 1 - 2 in with a modest hole in the shopping centre .

7. White Garden Snail

Named after their strike white shell stress with a brown grade insignia marking the whorl , the whitened garden snail is about ½ inch in diam and , unluckily , a severe pest for gardeners . They voraciously exhaust tree diagram , shrubs , and leafy plants and sometimes congregate in turgid groups to feed .

Like many other escargot , the white garden snail is an invading specie originally witness in the Mediterranean . If you discern them in your garden , they may take to be extirpate as they portray a threat to both aboriginal escargot and your works . Read our articleWhat Is Eating My Bleeding Heart Plant [ And How To Prevent It]?for advice on getting rid of snails .

8. Giant African Land Snail

As their name suggest , giant African land snail are huge , measuring almost 8 inch in distance . Mostly found in fond climates , they ’re also one of the world ’s most destructive escargot due to their size and the fact that they feed nearly 500 unlike types of plants !

jumbo African earth snails also present a health risk , as they hold the parasite rat lungworm , which can make meningitis . If you regain one , do n’t bear on it with your bare hands and apprise the proper confidence .

9. Orchid Snail

The diminutive [ no big than ⅛ in ] yellow - gray-headed orchid escargot dumbfound its name from its meal of pick - orchidaceous plant . These snails can wreak havoc on orchids grown alfresco or in muckle by rust their stem and causing the plant life to become unsound .

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

10. Globular Drop Snail

With a deep , tear - shaped shell , eye at the base of their tentacles , and being closely related to leatherneck snails , globular drop escargot are unique creature . They can be found in the southern United States and choose tropic clime .

Its eating method is also unusual , as it uses its clapper to scrape up food 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 garden .

11. Broad-banded Forestsnail

Found in Canada and the northern half of the United States , the broad - band forestsnail is well-to-do to agnize with its yellow and brown striped case that grow to about 1¼ inches in diameter . As the name evoke , its preferred habitat is forests and other damp areas .

Since the broad - banded forestsnail consume a combination of living plants , fungus , and decaying botany , it can be a good addition to your garden in small number . Just keep cut of how many snails have moved to head off an plague .

12. Gray-foot Lancetooth Snail

Your plants also do n’t involve to revere the grey - foot lancetooth snail , as it is one of the only types of escargot that preys on other snail .

Although it has been get it on to eat plant leaves as well , its primary food source is young snails of other mintage . It has a golden - brown shell that is about ¼ inches in diameter .

Since the gray - foot lancetooth snail is native to the United States and generally leaves flora alone , it should n’t present problems for your garden . However , you will want to supervise its front if you also have nearby threaten escargot species .

13. Toothed Globe Snail

The saw-toothed world snail , so - call for a toothlike growth near the eggshell ’s opening , is a large snail with a solid , yellowish plate about 1 - 1⅛ inches in diameter . It ’s found in moist , wooded portion of Canada and the northerly United States and is consider scupper in Ontario .

Since this snail is rare and eat a modified amount of populate and crumble vegetation by scraping it into its mouth , it does not mystify a threat to your garden . It may actually help by speed up up the decomposition of dead plant and leaves .

14. Compound Coil Snail

With a casing that looks like a tiny bit of coiled circle [ no enceinte than ⅛ inch in diam ] , the compound helix snail is a distinctive - looking escargot found in North America and as an invasive species in the UK . It is blind and normally lives in decaying leave of absence .

Not only does the chemical compound coil snail live in disintegrate leaves , but it also eats them too ! This make it another keen fellow traveller for your garden since it will go forth your industrial plant alone and help with scavenge up the quad .

15. Bronze Pinecone Snail

The bronze pinecone snail has a lustrous , bronze - colored shell that is approximately one column inch in diameter and attend almost like boast meth . They ’re chiefly found in the midwestern and eastern United States and prefer damp , wooded area .

Since they typically eat barque , decomposed materials , and leaves , bronze pinecone snails present petty danger to your garden . Keep an eye on the population numbers to see they do n’t disrupt your ecosystem .

In Closing

snail are an integral part of your garden ’s ecosystem , and it ’s essential to identify different types so you know which will help and which will harm your plant . We hope that this list helped you palpate more surefooted in recognizing the 15 most coarse types of garden snails !