Ready to snail it again for science?! SnailBlitz 2024 is back for its ninth annual bioblitz!
Between January 27 and March 31, 2024, please share your photographs of all Southern California wild land snails and slugs. Help us learn more about the biodiversity of Southern California and reach our goal of 1,500 observations by the end of SnailBlitz 2024!
Check out how SnailBlitz has helped add hundreds of snail and slug observations to NHM’s SLIME project. Follow us on Instagram @natureinla to stay up to date with upcoming snail and slug events!
How to share your snail or slug photos FOR SCIENCE!
Participants can share their finds in three ways:
- Upload photos to iNaturalist (They will automatically be included in SnailBlitz 2024. Identify it as “Common Land Snails and Slugs” or “Stylommatophora” if you are not sure which species you have observed.) iNaturalist is a free app that helps you identify wildlife by uploading a photo or audio recording, available on Apple, Android and at iNaturalist.org
- E-mail photos to slime@nhm.org (include the date and location (address or intersection) where each photo was taken
- Post snail and slug photos to Instagram, Twitter, Facebook using #SnailBlitz2024, and NHM staff and volunteers will contact you so your photo can be added to the project.
Win SnailBlitz Swag!
Prizes include NHM snail-and-slug swag, stickers, and crocheted slug plushies by Dr. Jann Vendetti! Prizes will be distributed at events, mailed to participants, and through the SnailBlitz photo contest. All you have to do is keep snailing it for science!
Up for a Side Quest?
There are imperiled snails native to southern California! Help us document Helminthoglypta (shoulderband snails) and Glyptostoma (chestnut snails) to better understand our local native biodiversity!
Here are 2024’s best snail and slug photos!
Best Duo/Buds 2024 Photo: Garden Snails by @yw24 / Yufei Wenslaff
Best Snail 2024 Photo: Milk Snail by @lynzief on iNaturalist
Best Slug 2024 Photo: Yellow Cellar Slug by @desertsolitude / Mardee
Best iNaturalist Observation for Research 2024 Photo: Southern California Shoulderband: Imperiled by @slowswakey / Winsten Slowswakey
Cutest Snail or Slug 2024 Photo: Garden Snail by @cbiggie_herping on iNaturalist
Snailblitz 2024 Stats
Community scientists braved record-breaking rain to break records across the board for this year’s SnailBlitz! See more details on iNaturalist.
- 4,333 Observations: Thousands of photos contributed by community scientists that will become data points to help researchers understand nature in our neighborhoods.
Observations in 2023: 3,314 - 88 Species: of land snails and slugs have been documented in those 4,000+ observations, including 48 threatened or imperiled species.
Species in 2023: 62 - 1,042 Observers: Individuals who snailed it for science this year!
Observers in 2023: 723
CONTACT US
General Inquiries
slime@nhm.org
Jann Vendetti
Twila Bratcher Chair in Malacological Research
jvendett@nhm.org