You've probably noticed that after it rains, you suddenly see hordes of snails roaming among us, and let's face it – sometimes we also crush them unintentionally. Following our extensive encounter with them, we decided to find out a little more about these snails.
According to Oz Rittner, director of the molluscs and butterflies collection at Tel Aviv University's Steinhart Museum of Natural History, the snails we see throughout Israel are called the garden snail – not a local species, but an invasive species from Europe, which arrived in Israel during different periods throughout history as a food source. "Evidence of this species was found already in Roman times," he told Israel Hayom, adding that many foreign workers from Thailand brought giant snails with them to Israel, which they scattered in the fields so that they would breed and eat them.
However, he noted, in Israel you can also find the African snail with a huge shell, which is about the size of a human hand. This species, according to him, was not so successful in spreading in the country. Most of the activity of this snail takes place in the winter, and the reason you do not see it in the summer is because it has difficulty coping with the Israeli summer, and chooses to go into hibernation.
Overall looking for a partner. Snails after rain, photo: Gideon Markowitz
Rittner further explained, these snails can only be seen in places where humans live, and not in fields or uninhabited places. "The reason for this is very simple: this is a species that needs a lot of moisture, which does not exist in fields, but only in urban places where plants are watered, even in summer," he said. "They tend to hang out with each other because of their need to mate, so when we see them in droves, we realize they're just looking for a mate."
Over the years, the snail has become an animal that is much loved by many children. His popularity can be found, among other things, in the character of Shabi from "Nice Butterfly", in the mythical poem "Berleh, Berleh, Get Out", and in a host of other children's books.
Shabbi (right) and Oza from "Nice Butterfly", photo: courtesy of Educational Television
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