Snail on Echinacea
Still on the theme of “little things“, I noticed this tiny snail – about the size of my little fingernail – when I stopped to photograph our Echinacea (purple coneflowers) the other day.
Since the flower heads are two and a half feet off the ground, I had to wonder how that little snail dragged his shell all the way up there? Not to mention, why? It must have been quite the expedition!
I’m quite familiar with the adventurous nature of the snail’s much larger, slimier cousin – the Pacific Banana slug, ubiquitous here on the west coast (and a much more common visitor to our garden than a snail)
Looking outside on a cool morning, we frequently see the smooth underside of a Banana slug, half way up one of our ground story windows, heading towards the roof at a…dare I say…breakfoot snail’s pace. They also climb the outside walls of our greenhouse regularly, and we’ve come face to face with them a number of times when we’ve been on a ladder, ten or twelve feet up in the thorn-riddled Himalayan blackberry vines.
So I guess I shouldn’t be surprised at the tiny snail that scaled “Mount Echinacea”. These wandering mollusks are adventurous souls, it seems.
Eye on Environment 
[…] Slow but Adventurous – at first glance you’re greeted by a colorful and vibrant shot of a Echinacea (purple coneflowers), but further observation reveals a wonderful secret. Perched on the leaf of the flower is a tiny snail. Taking the time to read the post that accompanies this shot by Laurie MacBride unearths a story of the snail’s journey which adds great dimension to the photograph. […]
What a fabulous photograph here, Laurie! Great details and colors, and I just love how your story adds such a great dimension here!
Thanks Toad! I always like photographing Echinacea – it seems made for the job. So having the snail posing for me too was a bonus!
Wow! Another wondrous “little thing” Laurie! I’ve never seen this before…I shall take this snail as a role model….Have a great first week of September.
Thanks Sherry. You too! It always feels like the start of a new year, doesn’t it?
Good eye to spot and photograph this!
Thanks Phil! We found another one today, even smaller, on a squash plant. I tried some macro shots and will see how they turn out – if they’re any good you might see them in a subsequent post.
Lovely photo Laurie!
Thanks Susan! The snail was a helpful model – it held still! 🙂
I love your ode to perseverance…your banner photos are amazing.
Thanks so much, Charlie! I really appreciate your comment.