Garden snail & red bryony
These pictures show that the common garden snail (Cornu aspersum) can be dangerous for vegetables. The red bryony (Bryonia dioica), whose leaves it is eating here, is closely related to cucumbers, pumpkins and courgettes.
The snail, which originates from the Mediterranean region, copes better with dry and warm locations than Helix pomatia. It benefits from climate change and can spread to regions where it could not survive permanently until a few years ago. It does not tolerate very cold winters.
Fortunately, the red bryony is a fast-growing plant and its shoots can reach several metres in length. It tolerates it if a few of its leaves are nibbled or eaten. This is in contrast to young cucumber or pumpkin plants, which now have to be protected from the red slug and the common garden snail here in Central Europe.
Categories:
