What is the difference between a slug and a snail?

Answer 1

Both are members of the mollusk group and are similar except slugs lack the external shell. They move by gliding along on a mucous-secreting muscle. The dried mucous becomes a silvery slime trail that tells you they have been dining in your garden. The common brown garden snail (Helix aspera) was brought to California as a culinary source from France in the 1850s. Moisture is critical to their survival and is why they are active only at night or during cloudy days. On sunny days they are hiding in moist, shady places. During hot, dry weather they seal themselves off with a membrane while attached to tree trunks, fences or walls. During cold weather, they hibernate in the topsoil. They are among the first pests to begin feeding in spring and the last to stop eating your plants in fall.

The adult snail and slug each lay a mass of about 80-100 eggs and they may do this up to 6 times a year. The eggs resemble small pearls (about 1/8 inch); they can be seen about 1 inch below the soil level or under rocks, boards or plant debris and they hatch when they come in contact with moisture. It takes about 2 years for snails to mature but slugs mature in 1 year. The garden snail may live as long as 12 years but slugs only live about 2 years. Given all this, it is easy to see why there are huge numbers of these pests in the garden. Eliminating as many as possible requires persistence.

Snails and slugs damage plants by chewing irregular holes with smooth edges in leaves. They also chew young plant bark, seedlings and fruits that are close to the ground such as strawberries and tomatoes. Citrus trees are especially susceptible.

Answer 2

A snail DOES have a shell and a slug dosent. However, slugs have had a history with a shell and a snail has always been with a shell.

Slugs like to drink water A LOT, but snails don't. Snails just like to stay in areas with a lot of water. that's why they are very slimy.

And last but not least, slugs are faster than snails because they have less weight on their back.

Answer 3

Snails have shells