The brown garden snail, cornu aspersum, was drawn out of its hiding place as Sunday’s damp soil provided ideal conditions for mating. The brown snail is a hermaphrodite and is able to reproduce rapidly in wet conditions.

In large numbers, snails are a destructive force in gardens and farms, but there are a few tricks for managing the pests, according to gardening experts.

For those wanting to avoid harsh chemical baits, a cup of stale beer can be pushed into the soil to bait and drown backyard snails.

In hot summer months ceramic pots and bowls can be placed upside-down in the garden, providing a dark shelter to bait snails.