Look me straight in the eye and say that!

The Asian mudflat snail is an invasive pest. A million or so of them make a beach crunchy; they wipe out native snails and discourage birds. It's easy to learn to grumble at them, easy to miss their beauty. To appreciate that, you have to get down, eye to eye with them, one at a time.

Mudflat snail, in a matching coat and shell, with barnacle scar cap.

Shimmering grey-green and black coat, an observant eye.

Of course, it helps if they're in a clean tank, out of all that mud.