Monitoring the spread of Hygromia cinctella in gardens

Project Leader: Danielle Cowell

Museum scientists are trying to track down an 'alien invader' that could be living in your backyard. The alien is not from outer space. It is actually a snail, but it is an 'alien' species to Britain. Scientists use the term 'alien' to describe an animal or plant that does not occur naturally within the country. In this case, the 'alien' is the girdled snail which originates from the sunny Mediterranean. It was first spotted in the 1950's, in Devon, and has been seen in other areas of Britain. The 'alien' was probably introduced accidentally, having possibly 'sailed' across the channel among some garden plants.

By tracking its whereabouts scientists hope to find out what effect global warming is having on the invertebrates living in our gardens.

So, where can it be found today?

This project is arranged in co-operation with the National Museums and Galleries of Wales environmental education network called SCAN (Schools and Communities Agenda 21 Network).
By logging onto their website at http://www.museumwales.ac.uk/scan/ you will be able to access an easy identification guide, get a closer look at the features and variations within the species and to input and store results on-line.