interesting facts

The fact that snails are a common species has given some scientists to research
on some amazing and interesting facts about their existence. There are a number
of amazing facts which an individual is worth knowing about. Snails are a
certain special species which when feeling that their lives are in certain
danger, they hide in their shells to present any danger which can cost their
lives. Below are five amazing and interesting snail facts:
1. Snails are herbivores which feed on a well decayed vegetation, fungi, algae,
plant leaves, and lichens. Some individuals identify snails as pests due to
their habit of feeding on garden plants as their herbivorous diet. Common
species of snails will, therefore, contain symbiotic bacteria which is located
in their crop which guides them on cellulose digestion.
2. Common snails have a moist skin, which makes them more active at night or in
damp weather. When weather conditions become very dry, a common snail will
retreat back to its shell and seals the shell entrance with parchmen. You can
mostly find snails under the garden rocks or else on a well sheltered corner of
a wall. When the shell is sealed, the snail will, therefore, go in suspended
animation where it can survive for a number of months with no water.
3. Like all land snails, common snails are Hermaphrodites. This will, therefore,
mean that snails possess both female and male reproductive organs. This fact
does not limit them from finding other snails for mating with. Mating is
therefore started by one snail which Pierces the skin of its mate with a
calcified love dart. Love dart leads to stimulation of the other snail into
exchanging sperms. After the process of mating the the snail will internally
produce eggs, which are therefore fertilized by the exchanged sperms.
4. About a month after dating a snail will, therefore, lay at least a hundred
small eggs underground in a nest which is usually located on damp soil. When the
conditions in the nest remain suitable for the eggs, then the snail will start
hatching after fourteen days. A newly hatched snail have a fragile shell which
takes 2 years or so to reach maturity.
5. Research shows that digestive secretion of a garden snail prevents stomach
ulcers from human beings. 10 grams of digestive secretion powder of a garden
snail will decrease human stomach acidity by 42%. This powder is therefore
effective when it comes to chronic bronchitis.