Holes in Snail Shells

[mackerel sky]

Hello everyone!
I have an odd thing happening in my garden - something eats snails. I find empty shells, each with a small hole about the size of the @symbol on a keyboard. What is causing this?
I know there are rats and mice - but they crunch up the whole shell - as do hedgehogs and all the bigger creatures. This is clearly a much smaller 'thing' making the little hole.
I'll send a photo next time I come across some of these shells, but until then - any ideas?

[goosey]

Hi, that sounds very odd - I can't say I have ever come across it .
I hope you get a photo soon so we can have a look - I want to know myself now! I hope some one else knows.
Welcome to WAB.

[mackerel sky]

Just ran outside and found two (scratching about in the leaves under the lilac, watched by at least three interested birds).
The shells have approx 20mm apertures, and the side hole is 4mm across. The hole in the top is fairly unusual, I usually see holes bitten (?) in the sides of the shells.

Incidentally there are also a few well-crunched shells out there, clearly rat- or mouse-eaten.

[Venger]

Hmm, well you may find this site interesting

Enemies of snails

Though I'd say they look like rodent attacks to me - but interrupted attacks?

[mackerel sky]

It's just the nibbling effect. The holed shells don't appear to have any teeth marks.
Thanks for that link - plenty to research there. I do have a thriving stag beetle colony and a number of other big black beetles so perhaps they are responsible.

My old neighbour told me it was glow-worms, well known, you young 'uns don't know nothing (I'm 48)

[Paul mabbott]

The relevant page of that site are dead (or at least I can't open it!)
Some ground beetles will crack the shells of snails but not in this pattern and at this 'end' of the shell nor, usually large snails.
The shells look quite old to me - could they have been already dead but nibbled by birds?

Originally Posted by Venger

Hmm, well you may find this site interesting

Enemies of snails

Though I'd say they look like rodent attacks to me - but interrupted attacks?

[zan]

You find shells like this quite often underwater. It's caused by various sea snails boring through the shells of e.g. mussels with their radula (basically a scraping tooth). I have no idea about terrestrial attacks, but maybe you've got a carnivorous slug\snail kicking about that's boring its way through the shells...

Just a thought.

[Venger]

Originally Posted by Paul mabbott

The relevant page of that site are dead (or at least I can't open it!)

It's just the page/jump link that's broken there Paul, you'll just have to scroll down, all the info is on one page, the links just took you to the relevant section of the page quickly.

[thes3raph1m]

poor snails... ugly buggers arent they (Re the parasite that forces them from the shell... lol, i figured they were like slugs... but not so)

[Happibun]

I am linking this thread to another one that I started because I found holes in snail shells in my garden. None of my shells had holes in the apex like the right hand one in your photograph, all of the holes were in the first whorl, near the aperture or just behind it.

Here's the thread - http://www.wildaboutbritain.co.uk/fo...e-beetles.html

I would love your thoughts on it.

Thanks, Jo