Heliciculture


Heliciculture, commonly known as snail farming, is the process of raising edible land snails, primarily for human consumption or cosmetic use. The meat and snail eggs can be consumed as escargot and as a type of caviar, respectively.
Perhaps the best-known edible land snail species in the Western world is Helix pomatia, commonly known as the Roman snail or the Burgundy snail. This species, however, is not fit for profitable snail farming, and is normally harvested from nature.
Commercial snail farming in the Western world typically utilizes snails in the family Helicidae, particularly Cornu aspersum, formerly known as Helix aspersa. In tropical climates, snail farming is typically done with the African snail. Snail meat from the African snail is highly valued and widely consumed. The term 'heliciculture' is used for raising snails for any commercial purpose, but generally refers to farming snails for escargot and cosmetic applications. It can also refer to cultivation of sea snails, such as whelks.

History

Roasted snail shells have been found in archaeological excavations, an indication that snails have been eaten since prehistoric times.
Lumaca romana,, was an ancient method of snail farming or heliciculture in the region about Tarquinia. This snail-farming method was described by Fulvius Lippinus and mentioned by Marcus Terentius Varro in De Re rustica III, 12. The snails were fattened for human consumption using spelt and aromatic herbs. People usually raised snails in pens near their houses, and these pens were called "cochlea".
The Romans, in particular, are known to have considered escargot as an elite food, as noted in the writings of Pliny the Elder. The Romans selected the best snails for breeding. Fulvius Lippinus started this practice. Various species were consumed by the Romans. Shells of the edible land snail species Otala lactea have been recovered in archaeological excavations of Volubilis in present-day Morocco.
"Wallfish" were also often eaten in Britain, but were never as popular as on the continent. There, people often ate snails during Lent, and in a few places, they consumed large quantities of snails at Mardi Gras or Carnival, prior to Lent.
According to some sources, the French exported brown garden snails to California in the 1850s, raising them as the delicacy escargot. Other sources claim that Italian immigrants were the first to bring the snail to the United States.

Edible land snail species

Most land snails are edible provided they are properly cooked. Their flavour varies by species and the way/method of cooking, and preferences may vary by culture. Only a few species are suitable for profitable farming.
Edible land snails range in size from about long to the giant African snails, which occasionally grow up to in length. "Escargot" most commonly refers to either Cornu aspersum or to Helix pomatia, although other varieties of snails are eaten. Terms such as "garden snail" or "common brown garden snail" are rather meaningless, since they refer to so many types of snails, but they sometimes mean C. aspersum.
  • Cornu aspersum, formerly officially called Helix aspersa Müller, is also known as the French petit gris, "small grey snail", the escargot chagrine, or la zigrinata. The shell of a mature adult has four or five whorls and measures across. It is native to the shores of the Mediterranean and along the coasts of Spain and France. It is found on many British Isles, where the Romans introduced it in the first century AD. C. aspersum has a lifespan of 2 to 5 years. This species is more adaptable to different climates and conditions than many snails, and is found in woods, fields, sand dunes, and gardens. This adaptability not only increases C. aspersum's range, but it also makes farming it easier and less risky.
  • Helix pomatia measures about across the shell. It also is called the "Roman snail", "apple snail", "lunar", la vignaiola, Weinbergschnecke, escargot de Bourgogne or "Burgundy snail", or "gros blanc. Native over a large part of Europe, it lives in wooded mountains and valleys up to altitude and in vineyards and gardens. The Romans may have introduced it into Britain during the Roman period. Immigrants introduced it into the U.S. in Michigan and Wisconsin. Many prefer H. pomatia to C. aspersum for its flavor and larger size, as the "escargot par excellence. To date, H. pomatia, however, has not been economically viable for farming.
  • Otala lactea is sometimes called the "vineyard snail", "milk snail", or "Spanish snail". The shell is white with reddish-brown spiral bands, and measures about in diameter.
  • Iberus alonensis, the Spanish vaqueta or serrana, measures about across the shell.
  • Cepaea nemoralis, the "grove snail" or Spanish vaqueta, measures about across the shell. It inhabits Central Europe and was introduced into, and is now naturalized in, many U.S. states, from Massachusetts to California, and from Tennessee to Canada. Its habitat ranges widely from woods to dunes.
  • Cepaea hortensis, the "white-lipped snail", measures about across the shell, which often has distinct dark stripes. It is native to central and northern Europe. Its habitat varies, but C. hortensis is found in colder and wetter places than C. nemoralis. Their smaller size and some people's opinion that they do not taste as good make C. hortensis and C. nemoralis less popular than the larger European land snails.
  • Otala punctata, called vaqueta in some parts of Spain, measures about across the shell.
  • Eobania vermiculata, the vinyala, "mongeta, or xona, measures about. It is found in Mediterranean countries and was introduced into Louisiana and Texas.
  • Helix lucorum, commonly called the Turkish snail because of it prevalence in Turkey, measures about across the shell. It is found in central Italy and from Yugoslavia through the Crimea to Turkey and around the Black Sea.
  • Helix adanensis comes from around Turkey.
  • Helix aperta measures about. Its meat is highly prized. It is native to France, Italy, and other Mediterranean countries, and has become established in California and Louisiana. Sometimes known as the "burrowing snail", it is found above ground only during rainy weather. In hot, dry weather, it burrows into the ground and becomes dormant until rain softens the soil.
  • Sphincterochila candidissima or Leucochroa candidissima, the "cargol mongeta or cargol jueu, measures about.
  • Lissachatina fulica and other species in the family Achatinidae, giant African snails, can grow up to in length. Their native range is south of the Sahara in East Africa. This snail was purposely introduced into India in 1847. An unsuccessful attempt was made to establish it in Japan in 1925. It has been purposely and accidentally transported to other Pacific locations and was inadvertently released in California after World War II, in Hawaii, and later in Miami, Florida, in the 1966. In many places, it is a serious agricultural pest that causes considerable crop damage. Also, due to its large size, its slime and fecal material create a nuisance as does the odor that occurs when something like poison bait causes large numbers to die. The U.S. has made considerable effort to eradicate these snails. The U.S. Department of Agriculture has banned the importation and possession of live giant African snails. However, they are still sought after as pets due to the vibrant "tiger stripes" on their shells. Giant African snails can be farmed, but their requirements and their farming methods differ significantly from those of the farming of Helix species.

    Biology

Understanding of the snail's biology is fundamental to use the right farming techniques. The snail's biology is therefore described here with that in mind.

Anatomy

The anatomy of the edible land snail is described in Land snail.

Lifecycle

General
Snails are hermaphrodites. Although they have both male and female reproductive organs, they must mate with another snail of the same species before they lay eggs. Some snails may act as males one season and as females the next. Other snails play both roles at once and fertilize each other simultaneously. When the snail is large enough and mature enough, which may take several years, mating occurs in the late spring or early summer after several hours of courtship. Sometimes, a second mating occurs in summer. After mating, the snail can store sperm received for up to a year, but it usually lays eggs within a few weeks. Snails are sometimes uninterested in mating with another snail of the same species that originated from a considerable distance away. For example, a C. aspersum from southern France may reject a C. aspersum from northern France.

Growth

Within the same snail population and under the same conditions, some snails grow faster than others. Some take twice as long to mature. This may help the species survive bad weather, etc., in the wild.
Several factors can greatly influence the growth of snails, including population density, stress, feed, temperature and moisture, and the breeding technology used.
A newly hatched snail's shell size depends on the egg size since the shell develops from the egg's surface membrane. As the snail grows, the shell is added in increments. Eventually, the shell develops a flare or reinforcing lip at its opening. This shows that the snail is now mature; no further shell growth can occur. Growth is measured by shell size, since a snail's body weight fluctuates, even in 100% humidity. The growth rate varies considerably between individuals in each population group. Adult size, which is related to the growth rate, also varies, thus the fastest growers are usually the largest snails. Eggs from larger, healthier snails also tend to grow faster and thus larger.
Dryness inhibits growth and even stops activity. When weather becomes too hot and dry in summer, the snail becomes inactive, seals its shell, and estivates until cooler, moister weather returns. Some snails estivate in groups on tree trunks, posts, or walls. They seal themselves to the surface, thus sealing up the shell opening.
Peak snail activity occurs a few hours after sunset, when the temperature is lower and the water content is higher. During daytime, snails usually seek shelter.