Why Do Snails Leave Trails of Slime?

A while back, we talked about sluggish snails here on the blog. If you know anything about these slowpokes, you probably know that as they inch along, they leave behind a trail of slime—like snail mail to let you know where they have been!

But what good is goo?

Snail slime serves three purposes. The first is to help with movement. Snails have muscles along the underside of their bellies that push them along. Sliding along the slime helps the snail move more efficiently.

A snail also uses its slime to stick to surfaces. Snails can climb up walls and hang from branches thanks to their slime.

Finally, slime acts like a shield for snails. It protects their skin from sharp objects, bacteria, and harmful rays from the sun.

Snails might be slow, but when God created them during creation week, he equipped them with everything they would need to survive in our now harsh, fallen world.

Lauren, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Slimy Facts

• Snails cannot hear sound.
• Snails eat by sliding across food. They have a radula (RA-juh-luh) in their mouths, which is like a tiny tongue coated with sharp teeth.
• The World Snail Racing Championships are held every year in the UK.

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