The night before this observation was made a cold front had moved through North Texas bringing raging thunderstorms with it. Heavy rains had drenched the area, and afterward the temperature had cooled noticeably.
Cool and wet are the perfect conditions for many small invertebrates. The next morning the concrete trails of Carrollton’s Greenbelt Park were still soaked with water, and these Decollate Snails were out taking advantage of the favorable conditions.
The water soaked pathways, allowed the snails to crawl out of the grass and on to the concrete. But, the human traffic in the area made this a dicey proposition for the snails. Many of them had been trampled underfoot, or run over by bicycle tires. In some areas there were so many snails present that it took a conscious effort to avoid stepping on any of them ourselves. It was pure carnage.
The lucky, unaffected snails quickly capitalized on the situation by consuming their fallen brethren.
Observation Details
| County | – | Denton |
|
| City | – | Carrollton | |
| Date | – | October 9, 2011 | |
| Time of Day | – | Morning | |
| Temperature | – | Warm (70-89°F/21-32°C) | |
| Weather | – | Overcast | |
| Habitat | – | Recreation-Park | |
| Type of Behavior | – | Feeding | |
| Gender | – | Uncertain | |
| Maturity | – | Adult | |
| Observer | – | Chris Jackson | |
| Main Article | – | Decollate Snail | Observation Location |
