Dear Diane,

Thank you for reaching out to the UVM Extension Master Gardener Program with your question.

I am not an expert on snail identification but the snail in your photo looks like a Common Amber Snail. Some references state that the Common Amber snail is usually not considered a plant pest. Therefore it is unclear if you need to do anything about the snails at present.

There are many species of slugs and snails but only some are significant plant pests. Most of the information focuses on slugs as the primary plant pest in the garden. However both slugs and snails can feed on plant tissue and fruits causing damage. The good news is that low to moderate levels of feeding can affect the appearance of your vegetables and fruit but will not affect plant health. Heavy slug feeding can injure plants especially seedlings.

I would recommend the IPM (Integrated Pest Management) approach. You would start with close monitoring of your plants for the presence of any damage attributable to snails or slugs and monitor for the presence of these pests. Although you have seen the snails in the garden, if you see damage to your plants I would still look for other pests that could be causing the damage (including slugs).

Snails and slugs need moist areas and protection from sun and wind. The fact that you have raised beds suggest well drained soil which should help minimize moisture at the soil surface. Irrigation practices such as watering early in the day to allow the soil surface to dry out is also helpful. Removing boards, rocks, etc that provide a place for the slugs to hide from the sun is another important practice. Staking plants to get them off the ground, removing the lower leaves, and keeping weeds at a minimum around the plant base will also be helpful in preventing slug damage.

If you see evidence of slug/snail damage and you see these pests in your garden, in addition to the above you can implement practices to exclude and/or trap the slugs. Pesticides should be used as a last resort.

See resources below on IPM and on snails and slugs in the garden:

https://www.uvm.edu/sites/default/files/Extension-Community-Horticulture/Resources/IPMOverview2023.pdf

https://extension.umaine.edu/home-and-garden-ipm/fact-sheets/common-name-listing/slugs-and-snails/

https://extension.umd.edu/resource/slugs-and-snails-flowers/

https://extension.umn.edu/yard-and-garden-insects/slugs