Netted dog-whelks often bury themselves in the sand but stick up their siphon to detect carrion much further away! Females lay very distinctive clear egg capsules with tiny yellow eggs inside, which can be seen on seagrass, seaweed or under rocks.
How to identify
This sea snail can look very similar to the often-overlooked Tritia nitida, another species of dog whelk. To help Identify these two species look at the opening of the shell- the aperture- as the colour of the shell above the opening can help with identification. If you are recording your sightings as part of a recording scheme, make sure to take clear photographs of the aperture to help verifiers confirm your sighting.
Distribution
Found on most coasts around Britain and Ireland
Did you know?
You will often find large numbers of netted dog whelks together feasting on dead crabs and other carrion!
