The Garden Snail Helix aspersa   Phylum: Mollusca Class: Gastropoda Order: Stylommatophora	The shells of land snails prevent water loss, as well as offering some protection from predators. Inside the hard shell of a snail the heart, lungs, kidneys and reproductive organs are quite well protected.
			The shell has a brown pattern on it, which is excellent camouflage against the background of tree bark and soil.
	Habitat	Garden snails are often seen in gardens and parks, but they also like woodlands, rocks and hedgerows. They climb trees, to graze on the lichens and algae found growing on the bark.
	Moving around	The surface of their bodies is wet, and they produce slimy mucus, which helps them to slide along surfaces. Waves of muscular contractions ripple down the foot and move the snail forwards.
	Feeding	They eat: plants and fungi. They are herbivores, feeding on rotting vegetation, lichen, fungi, algae, flowers and fruit. In gardens, they eat vegetables, fruit and flowers. Snails feed mostly at night, when it is cooler. This prevents them from drying out in the sun. Also - the darkness provides good protection from predators. They are eaten by: birds, badgers, shrews, voles, and rats.
	Reproduction	Garden snails are hermaphrodite, which means that each snail has both female and male sexual organs. The reproductive opening is found on the snail's head, behind the tentacles. Garden snails mate by first firing "love darts" at each other to stimulate mating behaviour. They then mate, which can last for several hours. During this time, they exchange sperm. Two weeks later, about 100 eggs are laid in a safe crevice or hole. When the young snails hatch out, they have a tiny shell, which increases in size as the snail grows.
	Breathing	The snail has a hole near the entrance to the shell, through which air can pass in and out. Inside the shell, there is lung cavity which takes in and holds air.
	Size	Average 30 mm
	Fun Fact	As the shell grows, it can slow down or stop - for example in times of drought, or in winter - and then speed up again. This leaves growth-lines visible on the shell.