The girdled snail
Photo from an unknown source.
First recorded from the Exeter area at Alphington churchyard
By Dave Bolton, Curator of Natural History
The girdled snail, Hygromia cinctella, was first recorded from the Exeter area at Alphington churchyard, by the author. Cemeteries are often havens for wildlife. It is a Southern European species and before that its only known British site was in Torquay. It was recognised there at the end of the 19th century but hadn't been recorded elsewhere. This record for Alphington was the first of very many from the Exeter area and subsequently from a wide a wide swathe of Devon. The girdled snail had obviously been spreading from its introduction site for many years, but its valient efforts went unnoticed due to lack of dedicated mollusc recorders.
These days it is found throughout Southern England and is often regarded as a minor pest. The species has adapted to hot summers by climbing up into vegetation where temperatures are lower and aestivating (resting). Girdled snails are well established in garden centres. Customers who purchase and relocate garden plants inadvertently assist the spread of this species across the region.