Amazing Pictures of Two Snails Kissing

 It was never likely to be a whirlwind romance, but the courtship between these two looks like it's moving at a snail's pace.

The slimy duo had an amorous encounter when they both decided to crawl along a partly-submerged log in a pond and visit the water's edge.

As they paused to get past each other, the pair stopped to size each other up with a closer look and appeared even to share a brief kiss.

Lovestruck: The two snails were trying to get past each other on this partly-submerged log when they stopped for a closer look

Thrill of the chase: The smaller snail will not be deterred from trying to attract the attentions of its larger neighbour.

Coming through: The tiny snail gets a bird's eye view of its surroundings from this useful perch on top of its partner's shell

After the swift introduction, the smaller of the two snails decided to get a better view of its surroundings by climbing on to its larger companion's shell for a piggyback.

The images, which also captured a wonderful reflection of the snails in the water, were taken by Willi Rolfes.

He took them at a pre-school nursery near his hometown of Vechta, Lower Saxony, Germany, while waiting for his daughter.

Willi, 49, said: 'My daughter was at a party and while I was waiting to collect her I saw the snails on the log in the pond.'

Getting comfortable: After their amorous encounter, the two snails get up close and personal as they slither past each other

'I have seen several dozen of them there before and watched them reach the end of the log before realising there is water and it's a dead end.

'When there is a bit of traffic on the log, like there was this time, the snails climb on each other - it seems to be a special overtaking manoeuvre.

'It does look as if they are kissing, but I think they are investigating each other while they try to find a way to pass one another.

'They were certainly trying to avoid the water.'