Burgundy snail hibernating

Description:

When Helix pomatia forage, a slime trail is left behind. While navigating their surroundings, they use their slime secretions to move on the rough or slick surfaces. In order to reduce the loss of water while moving on dry surfaces, they utilize a technique called “jumping,” which entails using only specific parts of their foot sole. The snails are able to follow the trail back home, and to return to the food source the proceeding day. They are nocturnal because of the cooler temperatures at night. The snails hibernate in the winter because they are not able to survive the cold temperatures of the winter months. Prior to hibernation, they dig a hole and lay shell-mouth up. They completely retract into their shells and secrete a mucus covering, called an epiphragm, to seal the shell’s opening. ( http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/si... )

Habitat:

Helix pomatia prefers low-lying chalk and limestone areas but can be found up to 1830 meters in altitude. They can also be seen in vineyards, gardens, thickets and parks. They require a habitat that is humid with fairly constant, mild temperatures; and they cannot tolerate heavy rains or direct sunlight ( http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/si... ) ---- 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 ( wkipedia )

Notes:

An epiphragm is a temporary structure which can be created by many species of shelled, air-breathing land snails, terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusks. It can also be created by freshwater snails when temporary pools dry up. In most species the epiphragm is made of dried mucus and although it is elastic, it is fairly easily torn when forcibly removing a snail from its substrate. In a few species the epiphragm is thick and quite rigid, being reinforced with calcium carbonate. This kind of epiphragm is very strong and may be difficult to break. ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epiphragm )