Why do snails come out in the rain? If you possess a garden, you may be acquainted with the inconvenience caused by slugs and snails devouring your valuable plants.
Although they pose no threat to humans, these creatures can gradually cause chaos in your garden and potentially initiate an infestation within your household.
But, the question is, “Why do snails only come out in the rain?”
When it rains, snails and slugs emerge as they require a substantial level of moisture to engage in vital physiological processes, including nourishment and procreation.
More about Snails and Slugs
Gastropods are technically mollusks and they are commonly referred to as snails and slugs.
It is easy to identify these organisms in your garden, as they leave viscous trails when moving around.
You can also learn about their presence by noticing the perilous cavities they create within your plants.
Snails and slugs share many similarities, with the primary distinction being that snails possess shells, whereas slugs do not.
Both possess numerous teeth commonly used to consume organic substances like foliage and vegetation.
Fact: Certain types of slugs (like leopard slugs) have a diet that includes consuming other slugs in addition to decaying or decomposing vegetation.
Why Do Snails Come Out in the Rain?
Snails depend on moisture for their survival. When they engage in physical activity without sufficient hydration, their bodies rapidly become dehydrated.
That is the reason why you notice them become active when it rains or when you have recently watered your garden.
Furthermore, they mostly tend to be active during the nighttime due to the lower temperatures and increased humidity (as well as the reduced presence of predators seeking to prey on them).
Here are some possible explanations as to why snails come out in the rain:
They Like Areas with Less Humid Air
The body of a snail must remain damp constantly.
Interestingly, a snail contains approximately 80% water, while the human body typically contains around 60% water.
When a snail becomes excessively dehydrated and lacks sufficient moisture, it undergoes desiccation and ultimately perishes.
The Impact of Humidity on Snails
As water evaporates from a sea, lake or moist soil, it ascends into the atmosphere and transforms into a gaseous state.
Humidity refers to the quantity of water vapor present in the atmosphere.
For instance, when we mention “high humidity,” it indicates a substantial amount of vapor in the air.
Snails rely on humidity as a means to regulate their body moisture and the dampness of their skin.
To maintain their preferred humidity level, they invest ample time in:
- Relocating
- Diligently exploring trees
- Checking fences
- Intruding the walls of residences
This allows them to discover optimal conditions or escape excessive humidity.
An Important Consideration
During periods of rainfall, particularly when it persists for an extended duration, the atmospheric moisture content rises, resulting in elevated levels of humidity.
Snails are often unhappy due to excessive water vapor. Snails emerge during rainfall as they seek out areas with reduced moisture levels.
Fact: Slugs and snails exhibit heightened activity during the spring and summer seasons, primarily attributed to the proliferation of plants and the augmented frequency of garden watering.
They Feel Safer in the Rain
Numerous creatures, including birds, have a penchant for consuming snails, so these mollusks remain concealed during daylight hours, whenever possible.
Snails exhibit nocturnal behavior, indicating that they emerge during the nighttime to engage in activities such as:
- Feeding
- Mating
- Leisurely crawling
However, when it pours, numerous snail predators withdraw to their nests or dwellings, patiently anticipating the rain’s cessation.
Due to this, snails experience a heightened sense of security when navigating during rainy weather and display an increased tendency to emerge from their concealed habitats.
They Find it Easier to Crawl on Pavements
Snails produce slime for two main purposes:
- Aiding in their movement
- Safeguarding their bodies from potential harm
They utilize rhythmic contractions within their bodies to propel themselves forward, while their slimy secretion renders the surface beneath them more even and secure.
However, numerous artificial ground coverings, like tar, concrete, bricks, and stone paving, possess a firm texture and are capable of absorbing the mucus secreted by snails.
The Impact of Rain on the Movement of Snails
When a snail desires to traverse this particular type of terrain, it must produce more mucus than its typical amount.
This is due to the fact that the mucus is absorbed into the surface.
This leaves an insufficient amount to safeguard the snail’s body from potential abrasions and lacerations.
Creating slime requires a significant amount of vitality and moisture from a snail’s organism, which is why snails prefer to conserve their slime.
During rainfall, absorbent surfaces get soaked with rainwater, causing them to lose their ability to absorb the slime of snails.
That is the reason why it is common to observe snails moving along pavements and roads following rainfall, particularly when they are searching for dry ground.
An Important Consideration
In order to reduce the quantity of mucus required for a snail to traverse a solid and arid surface, it decelerates and adopts a “loping” movement.
A loping snail is a unique type of snail that moves by crawling forward, but the middle section of its body gracefully lifts off the ground.
They Wake Up from Hibernation
During the colder seasons in regions with low temperatures, snails undergo a hibernation-like process.
During this phase, they retreat deep into their shells and form a solid barrier of mucus that solidifies into a protective plug.
Their ability to enter a state of dormancy enables them to avoid the harsh conditions of winter.
Their revival is initiated by the arrival of warmer, wet weather, which is commonly characterized by rain.
The dampness of rainfall permeates their protective covering, delicately rousing them from their inactive condition.
Fact: The rain serves as a wake-up call, notifying snails that favorable conditions for survival have come back, motivating them to come out of hibernation.
They Mate and Lay Eggs in the Rain
Breeding activities in snails usually occur in the late spring and summer months.
In areas characterized by mild, wet, and consistent weather patterns, these organisms could potentially encounter favorable circumstances for reproduction.
Snails possess both male and female reproductive organs, which grants them the exceptional ability to engage in mating with others or self-fertilization, making them truly one-of-a-kind.
The secret to their breeding behavior is found in the combination of warm temperatures and high humidity, which coincidentally also lead to increased rainfall.
Therefore, the presence of snails during wet weather frequently suggests reproductive behavior.
An Important Consideration
After reproducing, snails actively search for the moist ground to dig and lay their eggs.
The eggs of snails necessitate a cozy and damp habitat to thrive, underscoring the snails’ inclination to reproduce in the period of rainfall.
Fact: It is important to take steps to eliminate snails and their eggs because a single snail can lay more than 400 eggs each year.
Where Do Snails Go in Sunny Weather?
Why do snails come out when it rains? You already know that, right?
But, it also leads to another question, which is about the whereabouts of snails and slugs during dry weather, as they appear to be present exclusively during rainfall.
During periods of low humidity, garden snails and slugs retreat to conceal themselves, ensuring minimal water loss and reducing the risk of encountering predators.
Snails discover cold areas like:
- Vacant plant containers
- Beneath window ledges or stones
- Within stacks of fire timber
In order to minimize water loss, they employ dried mucus as a means of sealing themselves. The shells of snails also help to prevent the loss of water.
How Can You Get Rid of Snails after Rain?
You can try many ways to get rid of snails when they show up after it rain:
- The best option is to pick snails up by hand and throw them away.
- You can also set a trap and collect those snails.
- Make use of snail bait using organic snail and slug killer granules.
- Be sure to clean your yard and remove any mulch to clear snails.
Takeaway
Why do snails come out in the rain?
Snails, frequently observed leisurely sliding along moist surfaces after rainfall, are not simply relishing a damp weather promenade.
The survival and reproduction of these organisms depend on this behavior, which is intricately connected to their biological needs and life cycle.
When it rains, it is the perfect time for snails to come out, find food, and even breed.
Delving more into it explains how precipitation acts as a signal for their vital behaviors and their capacity to flourish within their respective ecosystems.