ID pls for yellow and paisley snail

[Dillybythesea]

Have just looked through the Gallery re snails (I had NO idea there was such a wonderful variety!) but can't work out quite what this sweet person is. Would it be a white-lipped banded snail? If lip is the edge? And if banded means a patch of one colour - eg mottled/ paisley - followed by a band of something else - eg yellow? Many thanks if someone will help!

[aeshna5]

Looks like one of the forms of Cepaea hortensis. I do love the various banded snails.

[Hedera]

An interesting variation; I've not seen one like this. C. hortensis by the lip, and adult, newlooking so the "varnish" hasn't worn off to show the speckled shell.

[Dillybythesea]

Many thanks aeshna5 and Hedera! Now I know! I meant also to ask, please, if there is some kind of chameleon ability in snails, or it was instinctively attracted to the Phormium Gold Wave which wld give it camouflage, or just pure chance that it matched so well? (I noticed in the Gallery a similarly bright yellow snail, but on a dark wood tree trunk, which didn't seem very sensible to me.) Thanks again - Dill

[Danny Davies]

Originally Posted by Dillybythesea

Have just looked through the Gallery re snails (I had NO idea there was such a wonderful variety!) but can't work out quite what this sweet person is. Would it be a white-lipped banded snail? If lip is the edge? And if banded means a patch of one colour - eg mottled/ paisley - followed by a band of something else - eg yellow? Many thanks if someone will help!

I am Danny Davies, new member.
I am sure I have seen on the tele, that these type of snails will change their colour and markings in a few generation to match their surroundings. has anyone heard of that.
Danny.

[Dillybythesea]

Originally Posted by Danny Davies

I am Danny Davies, new member.
I am sure I have seen on the tele, that these type of snails will change their colour and markings in a few generation to match their surroundings. has anyone heard of that.
Danny.

Hi Danny. Welcome to WAB! That's an interesting possibility and not one I've heard about. Since this posting, which must have been a year or two back, I've never noticed any more snails of that colouring on the yellow-leaved phormiums - which one might have expected if there is an ability to change colour over a few generations. On the other hand, as they don't seem to eat the leaves of the golden phormium, such a commitment to what must therefore be just an occasional area of camouflage would probably be a bad idea anyway? Certainly what I've since read and seen about white-lipped banded snails suggests they do tend to stay within the same bounds, don't they - ie yellow, with or without a number of darker bands in variable colours and numbers. You've made me wonder why they've never thrown up a green pigment option in the colouring too. Hmmm, so much to ponder! ATB!

[Danny Davies]

Originally Posted by Dillybythesea

Hi Danny. Welcome to WAB! That's an interesting possibility and not one I've heard about. Since this posting, which must have been a year or two back, I've never noticed any more snails of that colouring on the yellow-leaved phormiums - which one might have expected if there is an ability to change colour over a few generations. On the other hand, as they don't seem to eat the leaves of the golden phormium, such a commitment to what must therefore be just an occasional area of camouflage would probably be a bad idea anyway? Certainly what I've since read and seen about white-lipped banded snails suggests they do tend to stay within the same bounds, don't they - ie yellow, with or without a number of darker bands in variable colours and numbers. You've made me wonder why they've never thrown up a green pigment option in the colouring too. Hmmm, so much to ponder! ATB!

Thank's for your reply, I am sure it was on one of those nature programmes, I sure one member might have seen it too.
Well, I'm sticking to my story.

Thank's bye for now Danny.