Burgundy snail or Escargot

Description:

The shell is creamy white to light brownish, often with indistinct brown colour bands. The shell has 5-6 whorls. The aperture is large. The apertural margin is white and slightly reflected in adult snails. The umbilicus is narrow and partly covered by the reflected columellar margin. The width of the shell is 30–50 mm. The height of the shell is 30–45 mm

Habitat:

In south-eastern Europe Helix pomatia lives in forests and open habitats, gardens, vineyards, especially along rivers, confined to calcareous substrate. In central Europe in open forests and shrubland on calcareous substrate. It prefers high humidity and lower temperatures, needs loose soil to burrow in order to hibernate and lay its eggs. It lives up to 2100 m in the Alps, usually below 2000 m. In south England it is restricted to undisturbed grassy or bushy wastelands, usually not in gardens, with a low reproduction rate and low powers of dispersal

Notes:

Helix pomatia is threatened by continuous habitat destructions and drainage, usually less threatened by commercial collections. There were many unsuccessful attempts to establish the species in various parts of England, Scotland and Ireland; it only survived in natural habitats in southern England, and is threatened by intensive farming and habitat destruction. It is of lower concern in Switzerland and Austria, but in many regions there are restrictions on commercial collecting