Snail Life Cycle / Development

From Egg to Adult

Snails start life as an egg buried in a nest a few centimeters below the surface of the ground. Snail eggs hatch after about two to four weeks depending on the weather and environmental conditions (most importantly, temperature and soil moisture). After hatching, the newborn snail sets out on an urgent search for food.

The young snails are so hungry, they feed on the leftover shell and any nearby eggs that have not yet hatched. As the snail grows, so does its shell. The oldest part of the shell is located at the center of the coil while the most recently added parts of the shell are at the rim. When the snail matures after a few years, the snail mates and lays eggs, thus completing the full life cycle of a snail.

Sources

For a list of sources used in the creation of this visual guide, please see the Recommended Reading page.