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Wednesday, July 8, 2009

Snail Race

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I would never have thought that I’d be slower than a snail, but I couldn’t keep up with this one. This little snail seemed as slow as any other when I found it, but it really turned out to be lightning fast. Let me explain what happened.

I was climbing the path out of a small ravine when I noticed something shiny on a rock that I just passed by. I almost kept going, but I finally turned around, remembering that the reason I was there was to find new and interesting things. This shiny thing was obviously one of them.

When I finally looked to see what I had found, I saw this little snail. It was about two inches long, and it was slowly sliming its way across a stone that was embedded into the path. I quickly realized that I had an opportunity for something very different.

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I’ve seen plenty of snails before, but I personally have never seen one so big here in Michigan, even though I’m sure it’s not unusual. The last time I saw a snail this big was when I was a kid. My family lived in Tennessee for a few years, and there were plenty of big ones in the warmer climate there.

Anyway, I started taking pictures of this new, monstrously sized, two inch long snail. As I looked into the view screen of the camera I noticed a lot of blurry shots. I stopped and readjusted my settings for the dim light and tried again.

I’m still learning some of this so I still had a little bit of trouble. As I played with the camera, the snail began to move faster. It’s slow creep became a slow crawl. I tried to get a closer picture, but I still got a blur. I tried again but as quick as a flash the snail moved off of the rock and under an old leaf.

That’s how I lost a race with a snail.

16 comments:

  1. Snail - 1. Ratty - 0.
    That's gotta hurt.
    Still it must have been interesting.
    I love going on these walks with you.

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  2. Snail with no shell = slug
    Related but not the same. Me, I like slugs a lot, my friends, not so much.

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  3. Fun and cute post, Ratty! Me? I would surely lose to a slug any day..

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  4. Kind of funny to be with you on this adventurous day.A slug?? A slug!!

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  5. lol, sounds like he was not wanting to be in the limelight for all your readers. mean ole snail/slug, whatever you are...hehehe

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  6. Lol, this is the first time i saw naked snail, usually i thought snail can't live without it's shell?

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  7. LOL that is way too funny. I guess he doesn't like the paparazzi.

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  8. at least, you have the picture which do not look blurry at all :)

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  9. I'm just getting back online after my internet has been down for awhile. I'll try to catch up on things as much as I can. Thanks for all the comments everyone.

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  10. Ratty, that is just way too funny. But then maybe slugs are faster than snails.
    Good photos, when enlarged you can see some pretty good detail.
    SQ

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  11. An interesting story of an interesting looking slug. No slime trail, but you can see all his dark disgusting insides through his translucent "skin".

    I left you a comment the other day on the squirrel post, but for some reason, it didn't take. I think I even did it twice. Hopefully, this comment sticks! It was something to the effect that Mr. Nutz is just misunderstood. :)

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  12. I was gonna comment that it was a slug, not a snail, but Sharky beat me to it. Rats. She's so smart. :)

    I like slugs on the cement, leaving their little shiny trail of slugness behind them. Some call it slime, but I prefer shiny stuff. And I like their little retractable antennae--very cool.

    Now, I don't like it when they eat my hostas, but I have some hungry frogs who solve that problem for me.

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  13. Yep...I think i saw one during my last trip too. I thought it was a snail but thanks for the info. It wa a slug...:D

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  14. We get millions of slugs in the UK- and I mean millions. Some of them are immense in size, I have seen them 5 inches plus! And at least an inch thick. I don't really like them at all but they do look good in photographs. I'm going on holiday to France tonight so whilst I'm there I'll try to get a photo of the big mean ones hiding at the top of my well.
    Great post as always Ratty :)

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  15. "nanna swugs!! nanna swugs." is what my daughter tells me. Ours are bright yellow banana slugs and they are so cool. But I cant say one has beat me yet.

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  16. Secondary Roads - I hope to tie that score one of these days. Yeah, it was still fun watching it.
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    Sharkbytes - Now that you say it, I remember reading the same thing awhile ago. I still like the word snail better even though it's the wrong one.
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    Icy BC - I'll be hitting the gym so I'll be a winner next time. :)
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    Rainfield - Yup, lost to a slug. I'm so embarrassed! :)
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    PJ - Well, at least he didn't start yelling at me like all the squirrels do. :)
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    Vanilla - It's the other way around for me. I usually see them without the shell.
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    Poetic Shutterbug - Nope, that was one camera shy slug. He was kind of slick to get away like that.
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    Betchai - I got lucky with a few of the pictures. Most are blurry enough to cause headaches.
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    Ratty - Excuses, excuses. You're only behind because you're slower than a slug, and you don't even know the difference between that slug and a snail. Hurry up, you!
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    SquirrelQueen - Those slugs don't have that heavy shell to weigh them down. :)
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    Rene - He was too fast for a slime trail, I think. I want to look closer at those insides.

    Mr. Nutz is definitely not misunderstood. He threatened to attack everyone, and bomb them with acorns. He's a bad squirrel, a very bad squirrel.
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    Lin - I'm glad you both caught that one. I knew it, but I forgot all about it. They may be slugs now, but they won't be when your frogs get through with them.
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    Rose - Now if you make a post about it, you won't do like me and write SNAIL in giant headlines. :D
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    Bemused - We have bigger ones in our southern states. Maybe your slugs replaced all the butterflies. I'd love to see pictures of the big mean ones. Ooh, that sounds scary!
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    Julia - I've never seen a banana slug. That would be cool! You don't know embarrassment until you've been beaten in a race by one of these.

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