Insects of Southern Australian Broadacre Farming Systems - Grains ...

CONICAL SNAILS Helicidae
Small pointed snail (Prietocella barbara) and
Pointed or conical snail (Cochlicella acuta)
Distinguishing characteristics/description
Small pointed snail
Pointed snail
10 mm 20 30 40 50
10 mm 20 30 40
Small pointed snail
Pointed or conical snail
three or
three
Fawn, grey or
brown conical
shells
Ratio of shell length
to its base diameter
is always
two or less
Fawn, grey or
brown conical
shells
Ratio of shell length
to its base diameter
is always greater
than two
Insects of Southern Australian Broadacre Farming Systems Identification Manual and Education Resource © 2012
Confused with/similar to
These snails can be confused with each other as well as
native conical snail species.
Distribution, pest status and risk period
Small pointed snails favour areas of rainfall higher than
500 mm. Crops and pastures grown on calcareous and
highly alkaline soils can be highly susceptible. Smaller
snails can be a contaminant of canola and cereal grains.
Conical snails are found in the highest concentration
on the Yorke Peninsula, SA but scattered populations
can be found in other parts of SA, Victoria, NSW and
WA. The pest status of this species comes from being a
contaminant of grain, particularly barley. Conical snails
over-summer under stones and stumps, and on posts
and vegetation. Numbers can build up in the pasture
phase of cropping rotations.
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SECTION 4 COMMON Pest, Beneficial and exotic Species
Crops attacked/host range
Conical snails are mainly a pest of crops at harvest when
they can contaminate grain and seed.
Small pointed snails are a pest of pastures, lucerne,
canola, and some pulses across southern Australia,
particularly where conservation farming involves
stubble retention, reduced burning and reduced tillage.
Conical snails are rarely recorded directly feeding on crops
and pasture as these snails prefer dead organic material.
Damage symptoms
Small pointed snails may eat seedlings off at ground
level when snail numbers are very high.
Conical snails prefer dead organic material and therefore
have limited impact on the crop directly.
Monitoring/sampling
Monitor all year round to allow for full use of all available
control options. Monitor using a 0.1 m 2 quadrat, counting
all the live snails found when the quadrat is placed on
the ground. Separate round from conical snails and split
snails into two size groups, 7 mm and larger and < 7 mm,
using a sieve. Snails < 7 mm in diameter are unlikely to
be controlled successfully by baits.