I have been enjoying another blog called Taxonomic Collections where you can learn all about different British species, such as seaweed and snails. I was particularly taken by the pages on finding snails, which seemed to live in all sorts of habitats - and so hopefully should be easy to find. I was lucky enough to go out "snailing" as I called it, ie looking for snails, with the writer of the blog.
Having read the advice in those pages, I knew that looking for snails is not glamorous but involves searching under foliage, in cracks in rocks, turning over leaf litter and poking around in places that involve mud and damp. I was prepared: walking boots, warm clothing and small plastic pots to keep our finds in. I was not disappointed. In a nature reserve on the Somerset/Wiltshire border, we managed to find many snail shells of various shapes and sizes. At this time of year, actual living snails were not to be seen, but there were shells aplenty. Being a complete snail novice, I was amazed by how many different types there are and how varied the patterns and sizes. What was most surprising was the tiny weeny snail shells - at first I could not even spot them but after a bit of time snailing I got my eye in and could spot a shell just a few millimetres across. I had no idea so many species are so tiny fully grown, and that snail shells can be different shapes, including long, thin ones a bit like a grain of rice. I found a larger brown snail, which my sister said was probably a Roman snail. "So," I said, my brain a bit slow in the cold weather, "Were the Romans round here then?" Behind us in the valley was the city of Bath, rather a big clue.
We put our shells in a secure pot in order to identify them back home. It helps if you can make a note of where you found it which will aid your identification later. We also saw an array of colourful fungi along the way including some bright red "Elves' cups" which really do look like the elves use them to drink from.
Back at the house, we looked at the tiny shells under the microscope. What a world in miniature that opens up! You simply cannot appreciate the beauty of the shells with the naked eye. Details like ridges, stripes and colour come to life and I was drawn into the snails' world. We used a key to try and identify the type of snail. I like that part, as you work through each section of the key and identify whether the snail has the feature it mentions. If yes, you move on to another number. If no, you are directed to another place. If you are able to do this accurately (and I expect it depends on the key and the amount of detail you can see) then you hopefully end up at the correct snail species. My sister gave me an easy-to-identify one to start with and I was hugely pleased to end up at the correct species. I wanted to go through all of them but I think that might have meant overstaying my welcome. One tiny rice-grain shape shell was hard to identify with the key we had, but my sister has since identified using another source.
Who would have thought snails could be so fascinating. And they are out there, waiting to be appreciated! Only last night someone on a lovely quiet programme about Scotland was saying, If you can find something that absorbs you it is the best way to relax. I found hunting for and identifying snails very absorbing; it was immensely satisfying and relaxing to be out in nature, noticing and appreciating small things, but in fact all these small things are the very essence of life and for me are the only things worth appreciating. It brings things into perspective. It is a bit like mindfulness meditation, where you focus on the breath, on the here and now. When your brain is busy at work or worrying about the entire world and its problems, it is hard to function well. But if you can centre yourself and take in your surroundings, it helps to calm and stabilise you. I need to stay connected to the natural world, the rhythm of the seasons, nature's cycle, as it grounds me and connects me to everything. Snailing is just one fun way to do this!
