Great Pond Snail

The Great Pond Snail (Lymnaea stagnalis) is one of the two pond snail species identified so far in the Charlton Down Nature Reserve, and is quite distinct with its coiled, tapering, pointed shell. It has been surprisingly difficult to get clear shots of it although it is very common in the pond, but fortunately it spends quite a bit of time at the surface of the water, either grazing face down on the weeds and algae that are floating there, or even travelling upside down just beneath the surface feeding on the microscopic algae coating the surface.

We think of snails as being silent creeping organisms just getting on with their life. But right down at the water level or beneath it, it is surprising how much noise they are really making as they scrape away at the aquatic vegetation with their tongue-like radula and its rows of sharp teeth. A visitor to our pond, Tom Perrett, has used an underwater hydrophone to record what we believe to be the munching noises of one of these snails as it scrapes up its food, and Tom has kindly allowed us to share this and other unusual recordings that he has made. Thank you, Tom.

Munching noises made by a pond snail eating a plant underwater recorded using a hydrophone by Tom Perrett.