“This week I are mostly seeing snails”
You may well recall that I had mentioned on my Fathers’ Day posting that I had seen a pond snail but was unable to photograph it for you.
Well! Today I was amazed to spot not one but two snails together on a Frogbit pad.
Not only that, but they were two different species.
I ran to fetch my iPhone in order to take a snap.
Pond snail (Physella acuta) and Ramshorn snail (Planorbis corneus) on Frogbit (Hydrocharis laevigata)
Although they move very slowly by our terms, it doesn’t take the pond snail very long to cover 25mm, especially when the photographer is under the pressure of time. Whereas the Ramshorn snail didn’t seem to have any intention to shift itself.
These snails are hermaphrodites, which means that they can breed sexually with a mate or asexually on their own.
Great action shot!
ReplyDeleteI presume population explosion is avoided by them predating on each other and being preyed on by other species, birds, for example, or are you going to be overrun?
The one on the left has been following me around all day🤣
ReplyDeleteI’m not anticipating a population boom. The pond is too small for ducks and as of yet there are no frogs or newts to prey upon them. When the beetles and dragonflies arrive, their subsequent larvae will feast upon them for sure.