They were brought to California in hopes of inspiring a restaurant rage. Today, brown garden snails provoke rage among homeowners and landscapers.

Though slow-moving and delicate, they’ve invaded urban areas, and are surprisingly tough, able to survive the hot, dry months. When it’s cloudy or rainy, they can emerge from their hiding places in staggering numbers, making slimy trails in a beeline for garden plants.

The snails are said to have been a poor choice for escargot; introduced in California in the 1850s for eating, they proved to taste bad, and were soon replaced with choicer breeds.

By that time, of course, the snails had escaped.

These snails hide on sunny days under boards, down low on fences, under rocks, or among weeds at the bases of trees. In dry times, they seal themselves in their shells with a membrane described as “parchment like,” often glued to fences or walls.

They’re hermaphrodites, so all can lay eggs by the dozens. Their single, muscular foot leaves a trail of mucus that stays visible after they’ve passed.

And they devour a wide variety of plants, including leaves, flowers and fruits – helping them become established throughout the state wherever there are plants and irrigation.

Scientific name: Cornu aspersum
Sources: Orange County Entomologist Nick Nisson; “Snails and Slugs Management Guidelines,” University of California Integrated Pest Management Program Web site.
Next week: Prickly phlox
Illustration: Register files