Life Cycle Set – Snail

Snails are gastropod animals which have an enclosing shell, into which it is able to retract entirely, for protection. Snails are a different category of animals that fall under the phylum Mollusca.  Due to their tiny size, snails often fall prey to animals like lizards, snakes, rats & birds.

1) The Egg:  Snails are mostly hermaphrodites, each snail has both male & female reproductive organs.  A snail fertilizes the other snail’s eggs and lays a clutch of eggs. After fertilization, the snail digs holes in the soil & lays her eggs there. Egg-laying occurs from late autumn to early spring.

2) The Young Snail: Two weeks after the eggs are laid in the soil, the hatchlings emerge from the eggs. The young snail eats its eggshell & sometimes other snail eggs. During this stage, the young snails continue to feed & grow throughout the winter & spring seasons.

3) The Adolescent Snail: During the summer season, the snail undergoes an aestivation period, by taking a rest above ground & climbing fences, roads & vegetation. The purpose of this is to avoid losing as little water as possible. The adolescent snails continue to survive in this way until they reach maturity.

4) The Adult Snail: Snails reach sexual maturity as autumn starts. The cool & moist conditions prevailing during rainfall trigger snail activity. Two to three weeks after the first autumn rain, the mating season in snails begins. Mating snails are found in pairs with the soles of their feet touching each other. The process of egg-laying begins shortly after mating & the entire life cycle repeats again.

The set comes with wooden 3 Part Cards, & is presented in a beautiful wooden box with a picture of the corresponding theme printed on the lid.