Collecting and sending live specimens to SLIME
Snails and slugs Living in Metropolitan Environments (SLIME) is a citizen science project that aims to catalogue the biodiversity of terrestrial gastropods (land snails and slugs) in Los Angeles County and throughout Southern California.
Many people will choose to participate in SLIME by taking photos of snails and slugs in Los Angeles County, and adding those photos to our project on iNaturalist. People may also choose to participate by collecting specimens and dropping them off at the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County.
How to Participate (if collecting and sending specimens)
Step 1: Find snails and slugs
From a walk around your block, backyard garden, local library or school, to a hike in a local park, look for snails and slugs in damp areas under bushes, among wood pieces in wood piles, between and under rocks or bricks, on tree bark, on plants, among leaves, and along wet sidewalks.
Step 2: Collect them in a container
Place one snail/slug in a small container (like a yogurt cup or small butter tub) along with a piece of damp paper towel. Poke holes in the container to give the snail or slug some fresh air. One animal per container is best.
Step 3: Write a label for each container
Make a label for the container with the date, location where you found the animal (be as specific as you can be), and your name and stick it onto the container.
Step 4: Drop your specimen(s) off at the NHM
Give your collected specimens to Guest Relations at the South entrance of the Museum. They will contact Malacology for a staff member to pick them up.
What happens next?
Each snail/slug you found will be identified, recorded in a database, and added to the Museum’s permanent collection with you listed as the collector. Your efforts will help us determine the distribution of snail species in Southern California, identify introduced species, determine which species are common versus rare, and much more!
