They're even considered a delicacy in some places. Some people even turn the tables on snails and slugs and eat them! All over the world, snails and slugs are a source of protein in the diets of many people. Gardeners sometimes use salt or other chemicals to dry out and drive away snails and slugs. Snails and slugs can completely destroy gardens by eating plants and fruits, including their roots, leaves, and stems. Unfortunately, most gardeners view snails and slugs as pests. It also protects them from being cut by sharp objects in the soil. The mucus keeps their bodies from losing moisture to the dry soil beneath them. Snails and slugs make mucus so that they can move on the ground. As they move along, you've probably noticed that they often leave behind a slimy trail. If you spend much time in a garden or the great outdoors, you may be more familiar with snails and slugs that live on land. For example, you may find slugs under loose bark on trees or stones and logs on the ground - places that snails could never go with their shells. ![]() Without those big shells to carry around, slugs can squeeze themselves into many different habitats that snails can't. Their only other differences are in habitat and behavior, but these differences are the result of the fact that snails have shells and slugs don't. Otherwise, snails and slugs are remarkably similar. A snail's shell is like a home it carries around on its back. The most obvious difference between snails and slugs is the fact that snails have shells. The majority of snails and slugs, though, live in water. Snails and slugs are the only gastropods that can also be found on land. If you've ever seen a snail in an aquarium eating as it moves slowly along the glass, you probably understand why “stomach foot" might be an appropriate name! Gastropod comes from the Greek words gastros (stomach) and podos (foot). Snails and slugs are both part of the same class of creatures called gastropods. But are they one and the same? Or are they different creatures altogether? Whether or not you appreciate earthworm humor, it's clear that snails and slugs seem to go hand in hand. Larry: Leave them alone and let them slug it out! ![]() Larry: Hey Moe, what should you do if you see two snails fighting? We were hanging out in the Wonderopolis garden the other day and overheard two earthworms named Larry and Moe telling jokes:
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