Description: A similar shell to C. nemoralis but smaller and more globular. In Ireland the colours tend to be subject to less variation than in C. nemoralis and a yellow ground colour predominates with mid brown, often faint or interrupted, spiral bands. Apertural rib normally white, occasionally pale brown. Localised and mostly eastern in Ireland . 15-20 mm.

World Distribution: Found across Europe to higher latitudes than C. nemoralis and across Siberia to Pacific coasts. Also in northern North America. Distribution type: Circumpolar Boreo-temperate (56).

Irish Distribution: Patchily distributed across Ireland (Kerney, 1999) and common only in some central and eastern counties.

Ecology:

• Kerney (1999) suggests that it prefers shadier and moister places than nemoralis in Britain
• Such a distinction is not clear in Ireland although, unlike nemoralis, it does not favour coastal dunes
• While hortensis has a Boreal-continental range more typical of xeric cold-adapted species, nemoralis has a markedly western range (Suboceanic Southern-temperate) and seems better adapted to equable, wet climates
• On walls, in woodland edge habitats, scrub and disturbed places

Key Identification Features:

• A medium, glossy, globular shell
• Colour varies less than in C. nemoralis and is mostly yellow to brown with up to five darker bands
• Lip whitish to (rarely) light brown, never dark brown or black
• Umbilicus closed
• Differs internally from C. nemoralis

Red list status:

• Least concern (lc).

Distribution Map from NBN: Cepaea hortensis at National Biodiversity Network mapping facility, data for UK.

iNaturalist: Cepaea hortensis at iNaturalist World Species Observations database.

GBIF data for Cepaea hortensis | Classification: Gastropoda, Stylommatophora, Helicidae, Cepaea

Thumbnails for genus Cepaea