I'm not going to lie that I'm a little disappointed that the first snail I ever noticed/found happens to be a non-native species. Already as a birder I've grown an aversion to non-native species. Still, this is a cool looking snail. I found the original shell at a retention pond area in downtown Wilkes-Barre, PA along some railroad tracks. I was busy looking for sandpipers in the low water of the retention pond. So, once I decided I was into snails, I went back to look for a live specimen. Easily I found a bunch of these snails along the roadside as soon as I parked my car. To be fair, it was drizzling so they were moving about.
Cepaea nemoralis is a common snail of Europe. It goes by the common names Brown-lipped Snail and Grove Snail. It's a good sized snail- the shell I measured is about 21mm high and 20mm wide, give or take.
The most interesting thing while looking for an identification that this snail led me to was an article on thrush selection of banded snails at http://www.weichtiere.at/english/gastropoda/terrestrial/banded_snails.html. It seems the polymorphism of these snails (some seem to have more or less bands, yellowish to brownish base colors) helps them survive. Light snails fair better against light dry backgrounds, dark ones against dark backgrounds when it comes to being found and eaten by thrush and other creatures that find the tasty morsel snails by sight.
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| This is the actual first snail shell I ever collected. |
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| Range map from Land Snails of Limestone Communities and Update of Land Snail Distributions in Pennsylvania (Pearce) with my own county added to range (in orange). Formerly unknown to Luzerne County. |
Identification notes:
Height: about 21mm on mine
Width: about 20mm on mine (listed as 22-24mm in Burch)
Shell: Imperforate Heliciform
Lip: Reflected with a brown color
Apertural Teeth: None
Aperture: Ovate-lunate
Whorls: about 5
Other: Color Bands
Location Found:
Epsco Retention Ponds
Wilkes-Barre, PA- Luzerne Co.
41.25508923613776, -75.8547055721283
I just found these in Chambersburg PA 17201, I can send pics and exact location, I noticed them walking to work this morning, this evening went looking and found 3 live and many shells.
ReplyDeleteI have seen these in the Bushkill, pike county area... I first found them about 5 or so years ago... seen about 2 dozen just this afternoon
ReplyDeleteIve got plentt of these in my yard here in Williamsport.
ReplyDeleteI found several of these snail shells among the loose shale banks along the Penn Hills interchange of 376, the Pittsburgh Parkway East. I was participating in a neighborhood litter cleanup on Sunday, July 22, 2018. I found no live snails but perhaps a dozen shells, all in a small area.
ReplyDeleteHey Eric, any chance you want to share where you found these snails in Chambersburg? Im a teacher thinking about doing a lab exercise where students can observe these snails in the wild. Theyve got some interesting genetics responsible for their coloration.
ReplyDeleteFound a lot in lansdale Pennsylvania, Montgomery county
ReplyDeleteI found these in Dauphin County near the Susquehanna River, 17104.
ReplyDeleteI found them in Lycoming County near the Susquehanna River, 17701.
ReplyDeleteI found one along the Schuylkill River in Limrick Pennsylvania
ReplyDeleteI found two at my home in lebanon county. I thought they were lemon snails.
ReplyDeleteMy son found one last night in Lancaster County PA. Thanks to your post we were able to identify it.
ReplyDeleteHi,
ReplyDeleteI know this is an old blog, but where exactly is this retention pond in downtown Wilkes Barre?
I am interested in photographing these snails. Also, are there other locations in the Wilkes Barre area where I can find them?
Best wishes,
Steve