What Is The Purpose Of Snails?

Is it just to serve them in garlic butter? Not sure. Although I find them to be fascinating creatures, other than consuming delicate leaf matter in the garden they don't seem to serve another purpose? Do they consume other garden pests, or are they part of the food chain for some other creature? It's not as if you see the urban foxes chowing down on them at lunch time. Well perhaps more an evening snack as you don't see many urban foxes at lunchtime. Again, when talking about foxes I am not referring to tarted up slappers, but the 4 legged variety ;-). You know the ones that used to be hunted by packs of dogs and groups of people on horses. Again if this has confused you I am still referring to the four legged variety.

I have just spent an hour or so pottering about the back garden, hanging out with the frogs and snails. A little bit of hedge trimming, mowing the lawn and edges interrupted the pottering for a little, but there was pottering to be done all the same. There are many frogs and snails, either hopping about when disturbed, or generally not moving very fast at all if disturbed. So frogs I get. They will get rid of the mosquito larvae hanging about or generally consume other insects that you might think are annoying. As it turns out if they are good for the frogs they should be far from annoying for us! But do snails provide a similar consumer service for us? Or in their consumer service to be serviced up in piping hot garlic butter? Note this only provides a real consumer service in France, and French restaurants elsewhere. Come to think of it Frogs provide a similar service in France as well! What is it with the French and their consumption of Garden wildlife? ;-) Next thing you know they'll be eating horses! ...... Oh. ;-)

I know your common garden snail typically gets in the way of your delicate plants and vegetable crops by frequently dining on them, but do they provide any other beneficial service in the garden? I really don't like the thought of disposing of them and if I have been I have simply been putting them out with the garden recycling bags. Ealing Council provide these and although the snails probably don't meet a fortunate ending by being put out in these bags, they are at least getting a good feed on the way ;-).

Question is, are snails good for the garden? Should they simply be left alone to chow down on your plants? After all people love salad leaf so why shouldn't snails get in on the action once in a while?

I will have a look about in the coming days and see if I can find an answer.

Cheers and have fun!

M