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  Paul McNulty July 10, 2014 at 9:09pm

  There was a great experiment on them that won a science prize, lots of coverage on Radio 4. It was based on how far you have to take them from your site to avoid their homing instinct leading them straight back.

  
  http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/features/so-you-want-to-be-a-scientist/...
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  Phil Voice July 10, 2014 at 9:14pm

  I think this is how Jeanne found Landscape Juice Paul: http://www.landscapejuice.com/2014/05/snails-have-a-built-in-homing...
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  Nick @ NM Garden Services Ltd July 10, 2014 at 9:35pm

  That's a fascinating study - just wish I had thought of it first and written it up for my thesis!
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  Trish Reynolds July 15, 2014 at 11:33am

  As per the study already mentioned, I also read about another experiment done in the same way as Phil discussed above, by a reader of Gardening Which magazine a few years ago when they were testing snail/slug controls. She dabbed a small blob of paint on each snail in her garden and I think she threw them over the fences, and continued doing this, and if any came back she also put a second colour on, to more easily identify them. In all I think she only got around 3 or 4 back once more and one only twice more. So not sure about a true 'homing instinct'. At least there were quite a few colourful snail shells around her neighbourhood, maybe they stood out more for the birds to snatch :-)
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  Lawncare-4u.co.uk July 17, 2014 at 12:09am

  maybe they are still on there way back! there a little slow ......... :)
  
  
  
  Trish Reynolds said:

  As per the study already mentioned, I also read about another experiment done in the same way as Phil discussed above, by a reader of Gardening Which magazine a few years ago when they were testing snail/slug controls. She dabbed a small blob of paint on each snail in her garden and I think she threw them over the fences, and continued doing this, and if any came back she also put a second colour on, to more easily identify them. In all I think she only got around 3 or 4 back once more and one only twice more. So not sure about a true 'homing instinct'. At least there were quite a few colourful snail shells around her neighbourhood, maybe they stood out more for the birds to snatch :-)