How Are Slugs and Snails Different?

A lot of people think that they are the same, but that is not the truth. Yes, they seem to go hand in hand but have many different traits and characteristics. They have more similar attributes than distinctions. They both plague gardeners worldwide.

They are garden pests who belong to the category known as mollusks; however, unlike most gastropods, they are terrestrial; only some live on land. Usually, gastropods are aquatic creatures, but they are exceptions. They thrust along on their brawny foot, eat plants, and produce slimy mucus as they go. There are over 60,000 species of snails and slugs.

They need to make this slime as it helps them to move on the ground. Mucus aids their body from losing moisture to the dry soil below them and protects them from being marred by sharp things in the soil.

• Shell- Snails have a spiral-shaped shell, and it serves as a shelter for them. It seems like a home that it carries on its back. On the other hand, slugs have no shell.
• The colour of the body- Usually, the land snails appear grey, but their shells’ colour might vary from white, black, or brown colour. Whereas, slugs are usually yellow, black or grey and their body is covered with dark markings
• Size- Slugs are usually 0.25-15 inches long, and snails length reaches up to 10 inches.
• •Lifespan- Snails can survive around 2-3 years in the wild and 10-15 in captivity. On the contrary, slugs can survive 1-6 years in the wild.
• Speed- The speed of a snail is around 1 millimetre for a second. Some of the snails are quicker than some species of slugs.
• Habitat- This difference comes because snails have shells and slugs do not. Slugs can easily squeeze into different habitats, but snails cannot.

Some gardeners say that they work as pests in the garden because they eradicate the gardens by eating the plants, fruits, even their roots, stems, and leaves. They use powder or spray for keeping them away from the plants.

Both of them have been used as a food source because they are full of proteins. It is considered a speciality in multiple places. In many countries like Spain, France, Indonesia, and the Philippines, it is relished as gourmet food.