Garlic Snail

Oxychilus alliarius

TQ4892 05/05/2019 ©Raymond Small 

The Garlic Snail has a glossy translucent brown shell measuring 6-8 mm which is closely coiled with a low spire. The snail itself is bluish-grey. If picked up the snail produces a secretion that smells strongly of garlic. There are other species that release a weaker garlic aroma so it was good that recorder Simon Taylor was on site to confirm identification. If the last part of the mantle within the shell was dark then it would be Oxychilus navarricus helveticus, which also smells of garlic albeit slightly less strongly. 

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