Snails, Snails and more Snails

My veggie patch has been decimated: the runner beans, which last week would have made Jack (of the beanstalk fame) proud, today are mere brown sticks; the lettuces and onions have disappeared; and the courgettes are just about holding their own. Only the cherry tomatoes are blooming.

I can't be sure, but I think the culprits are the bane of every gardener's life - snails and slugs. This year seems to have been a good bad year for them. Certainly, every time I walk across the patio in the early morning or evening there seems to be a "crunch" with every step!

However, there are some rather pretty snails among the common varieties to be found, and I think they make a great macro study