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Article: Gary Bogue: Snails: Who's been eating escargot in my backyard?
- Article from:
- Oakland Tribune
- Article date:
- October 29, 2009
- Author:
CopyrightCopyright 2009 Oakland Tribune. Provided by ProQuest LLC. (Hide copyright information)
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foraging squirrel
each fallen pinecone is
a center of attention
-- haiku by Jerry Ball, Walnut Creek
Dear Gary:
A week ago, overnight the scattered remains of five European
brown snails appeared on our concrete steps by ground cover we know
harbors the rascals.
All that was left was broken shells. No meat.
What do you suppose ate them? A large lizard that lives nearby?
Squirrels? Birds? A skunk? Feral cats?
Duncan Carter,
cyberspace
Dear Duncan:
The most common backyard snail-eaters in the Bay Area are scrub
jays, skunks and roof rats.
Since this happened at night, that lets out the jays.
A skunk would have munched down the whole snail, leaving few
shell pieces (and very small ones at that) ...