SNAILS & SLUGS

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Read the article: Seven species of land­snails (Gastropoda) new to the Faroe Islands

BLACK SLUG Arion ater

Arion ater Arion ater Arion ater


Cornu aspersum

Cornu aspersum

Cornu aspersum Cornu aspersum Cornu aspersum

11.05.2021 a gardener found this snail in a greenhouse. This is the fifth registration of Cornu aspersum in the Faroe Islands.

Cornu aspersum Cornu aspersum

We got this amazing looking Cornu aspersum 13. May 2014. This is the first recorded discovery of Cornu aspersum in the Faroe Islands.


COPSE SNAIL Arianta arbustorum (Linné 1758)

Arianta arbustorum (Linné 1758) Arianta arbustorum (Linné 1758)

One Copse snail was found in Tórshavn in 1869. The second observation is from 2004 where it was found in many places. It is believed to be common around the Faroe Islands in 2016.

An old, but still interesting note about Arianta arbustorum


WHITE-LIPPED SNAIL Cepaea hortensis
05.10.2010 Hans Eli Sivertsen found this Cepaea hortensis (Müller 1774) in Argir. This species is found several times in the Faroe Islands lately, but it is the first time, that the yellow form is found. Cepaea hortensis

BROWN-LIPPED SNAIL Cepaea nemoralis

Cepaea nemoralis

Cepaea nemoralis, found in the garden of Ada í Líð, Brekkugøta 9, Tórshavn 14.06.2016. This is the first time, that the species is registered in Tórshavn.

BROWN-LIPPED SNAIL Cepaea nemoralis

Cepaea nemoralis Cepaea nemoralis

24. August 2010 Agnethe Jacobsen found this photographed Cepaea nemoralis (L. 1758) under a stone beside the house of Jákup av Skarði in Nólsoy. This is the second time, that I have seen Cepaea nemoralis in the Faroes.

Cepaea nemoralis

BROWN-LIPPED SNAIL Cepaea nemoralis
Cepaea nemoralis Cepaea nemoralis Cepaea nemoralis

23. May 2009 Karin Fuglø á Husamørk found this beautiful Cepaea nemoralis (L. 1758) snail in the village Kirkja on Fugloy. This is the first time that I have seen this snail in the Faroes.

Cepaea nemoralis

Cepaea nemoralis closest relative is Cepaea hortensis (Müller 1774). I have seen a single species occasionally, but I have never found them breeding.

On the photographs with the 2 snails, the large Cepaea nemoralis is beside the smaller, but fully grown relative Cepaea hortensis.


BURGUNDY SNAIL Helix pomatia

Sámal Jákup Olsen took this photograph of a roman snail in Vestmanna 07.09.2007. Helix pomatia is common in Central Europe and is introduced in Norway and England. Late in 1980's some breeding experiment was done in the Faroes with this tasty snail, but it stopped completely.

Helix pomatia

LEOPARD SLUG Limax maximus

Do not kill the Leopard slug!

Read a very interesting Norwegian article with English summary

Leopardsnegl / Limax maximus Leopardsnegl / Limax maximus

You ought to be very careful not to collect any Leopard slug Limax maximus when you are collecting Spanish slugs Arion vulgaris Moquin-Tandon, 1855 in your garden, because the Leopard slug is an enemy of the Spanish slug.
Some Leopard slugs looks as the dark one on the photo, while other have long spots, so they look as a leopard on the skin. A Spanish slug has a plain colour without any spots, and often their head is darker then the body.
The Leopard slug is fairly new for the Faroe Islands as well. It was observed for the first time in 2003 and has spread to Klaksvík, Funningsfjørður, Toftir, Eiði, Kirkjubøur, Kollafjørður and Tórshavn.
New Norwegian studies have proved, that Leopard slugs and Spanish slugs don’t get along at all. The Leopard slug eats the egg of the Spanish slug, the small Spanish slugs and licks and bites the fully grown Spanish slug as well. The result is a great decrease of Spanish slugs in the garden.
The Leopard slug feeds on the same plants as the common black Faroese slug, so he is a very good and strong assistant to have in your garden in the fight against the destructive Spanish slug.


SPANISH SLUG Arion vulgaris Moquin-Tandon, 1855

Arion vulgaris Moquin-Tandon, 1855 Arion vulgaris Moquin-Tandon, 1855 Arion vulgaris Moquin-Tandon, 1855
Arion vulgaris Moquin-Tandon, 1855 Slug with eggs Slug eggs
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