Monday, 10 January 2005

Snails

Snails, like many worms, are hermaphrodites, producing both sperm and eggs. Prolific breeders, snails exchange sperm with one another to fertilize their eggs. Each brood may consist of up to 100 eggs.

Garden snails bury their eggs in shallow topsoil primarily while the weather is warm and damp. After 2 to 4 weeks of favorable weather, these eggs hatch and the young emerge. Snails may lay eggs as often as once a month.
~Wikipedia

Why the sudden interest in snail reproduction? Because my grandfather has 5 adult snails in one of our flower pots right now and they are laying eggs. And there are tiny transparent baby snails crawling out of those eggs. Wow, snails are both male and female and they lay eggs so often, I'm going to have a snail farm soon. Escargot anyone?

No comments: