Kids are usually fascinated by creepy crawly creatures. Most parents find this fascination hard to understand. However, this can be used to teach kids facts about so many animals, insects and birds. It will help kids understand the ecosystem and why it is important to protect even the smallest of insects in our environment. One such garden pest that is present in all gardens is the snail. Kids love to handle these slimy creatures. Parents can use this opportunity to teach some facts about the snail to kids.

Here are some snail facts for kids that parents ought to know:

Snails are not insects. They are invertebrates no doubt, but they are gastropods. Gastropods belong to the family mollusks, which also includes octopi, oysters and clams. They are considered to be oldest living invertebrates in the world, with some researchers saying that snails have been around for over six hundred million years.

Did you know that snails do not have a sense of hearing? So, how do they locate their food? Well, snails use their acute sense of smell in order to find their food.

The slime trail that the snail leaves behind not only protects the gastropod, it also facilitates their movement over the ground.

A snail is considered to be hermaphrodite. This means that one snail has the male as well as female organs, so it can produce eggs and also fertilize those eggs with its sperms.
Snails are known to be nocturnal, and hence, are more active in the night or early morning.

The life expectancy of a snail ranges from fifteen to twenty years.

The body of a snail can be divided into a head, torso and foot. These invertebrates have a shell that protects their soft-skinned bodies.

Snails are either water-dwellers or land-dwellers. They do not like heat, and tend to burrow when temperatures soar. They are fond of living in damp and dark places. However, in winter, they tend to hibernate and that is why people do see snails in their gardens during cold weather.

These invertebrates are known to consume plants, chalk, algae and limestone. At times, they also tend to cannibalize. They eat with the help of a radula, which is a tongue-like structure with lots of sharp teeth.

Predators of snails include frogs, small animals and birds. Some species of snails are consumed by humans. In fact, snails are quite popular delicacy in France and are called escargot. In the ancient times, Romans were known to raise snails as a source of food.

The largest snail in the world was discovered in Sierra Leone, which is a country in Africa. The weight of this snail was 2 lbs and it was more than fifteen inches in length.

More Articles :

• How Do Snails Reproduce ?
• How To Get Rid Of Snails In The Garden ?
• Snail Facts For Kids
• What Do Water Snails Eat ?

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