What to Know
- Through March 31, 2021
- Share a snail snapshot with the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County
- Researchers hope to collect 1,5000 observations for SLIME, a community science project
Spending an afternoon or morning observing snails is a take-it-slow, connect-with-nature sort of pleasure.
But to do so immediately following the start of Daylight Saving Time feels kind of perfect.
After all, the loss of an hour can make a person feel rather on the sluggish side, prompting us all to move at a snail's pace, at least for a few days.
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What better time, then, to put on the brakes for a half hour, all while keeping it slow and your eyes low to the ground?
If that tempts, you can snail your way into helping science. How? By playing a part in SnailBlitz 2021.
Eager to join up as a citizen scientist and snail this project?
Here's how to participated: Snap a picture of any snails or slugs you might spy and send them along to SLIME, the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County's community science project.
The Snails and Slugs Living in Metropolitan Environments project hopes to cast a light on those low-to-the-earth, super-fascinating, mucus-marvelous mollusks that so frequently make cameos on garden walls, along soil-strewn beds, and atop leaves.
SLIME is, in fact, "... the first (community science project) to catalogue the biodiversity of terrestrial gastropods (land snails and slugs) in Los Angeles County and throughout Southern California."
You have through to March 31 to submit any pictures of any slugs or snails you might see around Southern California. SLIME's good and goo-laden goal is to have 1,500 observations to study by the conclusion of SnailBlitz 2021.
Submitting your snapshots?
There are a few ways, including by email or text. You can find all of the details here.
There are a few competitive categories to compete in, too, including Best Snail Photo and Best Slug Photo.
Want to take on a cool science goal, by the end of March, for the shell of it?
Keep your eye to the muddy bits below and shady pathways of your neighborhood, all to see if snails and slugs are on the super-slow roll, doing their vibrant and viscous-y thing.
