mˈoʊst snˈeɪlz fˈiːd baɪ dɹˈɪlɪŋ ɐ hˈoʊl ˌɪntʊ ðɛɹ baɪvˈælv pɹˈeɪ, bˌʌt ɹˈɑːpə wˈɛlks jˈuːʒuːəli smˈʌðɚ ðɛɹ pɹˈeɪ baɪ ɹˈæpɪŋ ɚɹˈaʊnd ðə hˈɪndʒd ɹˈiːdʒən ʌvðə ʃˈɛl ænd fˈiːd baɪ ˌɪntɹədˈuːsɪŋ ðɛɹ pɹəbˈɑːskɪs bᵻtwˌiːn ðɪ ˈoʊpənd vˈælvz.
Most snails feed by drilling a hole into their bivalve prey, but rapa whelks usually smother their prey by wrapping around the hinged region of the shell and feed by introducing their proboscis between the opened valves.