Instructions for surveying
Where to look
Banded snails can be found in almost any part of the UK where snails are generally present. Where the soil is acidic or peaty, there is insufficient calcium available for snails to make their shells, so avoid such areas.
The two species we are interested in are called Cepaea nemoralis and Cepaea hortensis. They can be found in a wide variety of habitats including in woodland, scrub, in and under hedges, in tall herbaceous vegetation like nettle patches, in long or short grass, on garden shrubs. They are increasingly common in gardens in many cities.
When to look
Snails are most active and easy to find when conditions are warm and damp. So, you will only find them in spring, summer and early autumn.
Good times to find snails are during or after rain and in the early morning when there is dew on the grass.
Identifying the right species
Look for snails about the size of a thumbnail (about 20mm wide). Ones with a brown lip to the shell as shown by the arrow are C. nemoralis. Ones with a white lip are C. hortensis. Don't forget, not all banded snails have bands! (That's what makes them interesting).
You can get more information in this downloadable guide:
Snail guide (PDF)
You can also download this record sheet to take with you:
Evolution MegaLab Record Sheet (PDF)