Friday, April 11, 2008

Snail Trails

I'm forever stopping to take pictures of things I spy on the ground. These photos don't usually make it to the blog, with good reason. Frankly the ground isn't always that interesting to other people.

You might have to click on this photo to get the effect of the delicate, silver trails on the sidewalk in the foreground. I know snails make them because I've seen them in action. I don't remember seeing snail trails anywhere else but in southern California.

John and Boz usually move on if I take too long shooting. I could post an entire series of photos of the ground, with my two guys moseying off into the distance.

11 comments:

Chuck Pefley said...

Oh, you don't have an exclusive on those slimy creatures. They absolutely thrive in the Pacific NW ... especially around my Hosta plants -:) Curious minds make interesting images, by the way. Most people probably wouldn't even notice, or make the connection ... let alone make a photo. Fun!

ginab said...

Haha. I recognized them, even before you identified them (John and Boz, not the snail trails)!

Gerald (SK14) said...

are they snail trails or slug trails?

I don't mind snails but detest slugs.

USelaine said...

We have both snails and slugs here in northern California. A long time ago, someone told me that the snails in the LA area are escaped/rogue/feral snails from imports brought for culinary purposes from Europe! I don't know if that's true.

marley said...

You should start another blog. Call it A Snails View!

Petrea Burchard said...

It figures they'd thrive in the Pacific NW, doesn't it, Chuck? All that lovely moisture. Sorry they like your hosta plants so much.

Welcome, Ginab! thank you for commenting.;)

Good question, Gerald. I've seen both snails and slugs around here, though slugs are more common. Small ones. Not like the giant banana-sized things I've seen in the wilds of Redmond, Washington.

Rogues! Feral snails on the run! If you were meant for the table you'd run, too. But I don't think anybody'd eat these guys, they're teeny.

Another blog, Marley? That's insane. Ask Gerald.

Katie said...

I love love love this photo Petrea! Not just because of the silvery snail trails (there are plenty snail in the Bay Area too, and it just makes me think of Paris and eating snails at Train Bleu), but mainly because I'm a closet photographer of sidewalks and roads and other stuff on the ground. And I rarely show them to anyone because most people think it's a bit odd to photograph the ground so much! I don't know anything about John and Boz, since I'm so new to your blog, but now I know a little more. More photos of the ground around Pasadena please!!

Petrea Burchard said...

Hee, Katie, I'm glad you like it. Here's one other:
http://pasadenadailyphoto.blogspot.com/2008/03/aprs-easter.html

Petrea Burchard said...

Okay, that didn't work. Let's try this:
http://tinyurl.com/6ps3nb

Katie said...

Thanks Petrea for the link back to the sucker on the ground photo! I somehow missed that one.

freefalling said...

It's really hard to photograph snail trails - I've had a few goes myself.
They always look prettiest first thing in the morning.
You know that's what they say kids with runny noses have?