Tuesday, June 22, 2010

in which we subject snails to possible torture in the name of science

we've been combing our yard for the big snails - the vinbjerg ones (no idea what they're called in english) for awhile now. and whenever we see them, we get out the waterproof acrylic paints and we paint on them. because we want to to learn the truth of how much the snails really get around in the yard. oddly, we've been a bit stymied in our mission by a lack of vinbjerg snails, but tonight we found two. sabin named hers rose. here you can see why....

will someone please cut her fingernails?

and guess who did this one? :-)


we'll be looking around for our friends, to see how far they travel. i think i'll call mine erik after that viking that lead the trip to north america years before columbus. they're the best-dressed snails in the neighborhood, i tell you, tho' we haven't really been able to find the first batch of ones we did a few weeks ago. i'm not sure we've really followed scientific method very well. but we will be reporting our progress should we ever come across these guys again.

13 comments:

nath said...

fun! yours looks like a crazy little old lady with a top-knot!

Char said...

oh yes, runes. i thought about you when i saw true blood. the mark of the werewolve was a rune.

and the snails survived their paint job?

In the Light of the Moon said...

What fun..I love this idea,but sadly we dont have snails like this here,...just frogs and tons of tiny ones..but my brain is spinning with ideas of little creatures to paint.Just to see them around and to say hi to when they are around the house.Warmest Regards,Cat

Unknown said...

What an interesting thing to do. Maybe you should put them behind a start line and watch to see if they go across the finish line. A nice bit of cabbage might cheer them on.

Numinosity said...

So as I'm waiting for super slow dial-up to load your pics I'm erroneously thinking about large slugs and that you're painting them, which would be torture rather like salting them and I'm imagining that your post is about painting slugs and using it as a technique of painting onto papers for decorative design.I had to laugh at myself when I realized that you were painting on the shells instead!

xoxo Kim

Anonymous said...

I had loads and loads of snails in the garden until I got a compost bin. At least they don't eat the plants any more.
I wonder how far yours will travel.

Sammi said...

Poor snails, LOL. I'm sure they don't mind a bit of colour,haha! They look cool though, don't they!!

Lisa-Marie said...

This is good science! Snail shells aren't absorbent, so the paint is fine.

I am intrigued to hear about the snails' travels!

hahaha, the word verification is 'sperm'. I know that shouldn't make me laugh, but it did! It made me think of Monty Python too.

poet said...

This is brilliant. Someone in my neighborhood must have had the same idea, because I've repeatedly seen snails with a blue or green paint dot in the center of their house spiral!

heidikins said...

This makes me happy. :)

xox

Gwen said...

yay! someone else who forgets fingernail trimming.

snails what?

Magpie said...

I kind of wish I had snails in my backyard. Can't wait to hear tales of their travels.

Teri and her Stylish Adventure Cats said...

How much fun...to travel at a snails pace and follow 'yours'...