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Story: Snails and slugs

Flax snail colony

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Flax snail colony

A colony of flax snails (Placostylus species) cluster under vegetation. Despite their name, flax snails do not eat flax or live near it.

Using this item

Department of Conservation

Reference: 10042775

by Gregory H. Sherley

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How to cite this page

Paddy Ryan, Snails and slugs – Flax snails, giant snails and veined slugs, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/photograph/12857/flax-snail-colony (accessed 4 June 2026).

Story by Paddy Ryan, published 1 March 2009.