Snails and Slugs - Nursery IPM

**Snails and Slugs (Gastropoda spp.)**

Mollusks that thrive in cool, wet weather
Soft, slimy bodies which move using a muscular foot while secreting a silvery mucus trail that helps them to move
- Snails have a visible, coiled shell on their backs, and retract into it when disturbed
- Slugs lack a shell
Can be any size from under an inch up to around six inches long
Many slugs reach sexual maturity in 3-6 months and lay eggs
Snails can take up to 2 years to reach maturity
Eggs are small, white, and often found in clusters in wet, sheltered locations
- Slug eggs are more translucent and gelatinous than, while snail eggs are harder and more opaque
Both snails and slugs are hermaphroditic
Live in no till or zone till areas under the surface layer of debris or mulch
Slugs and snails feed most actively at night, but can be found on plants anytime conditions are wet
Damage on herbaceous plants can appear quite suddenly and presents as irregular holes in the middle of the leaf, not along the edges
Feeding on dormant buds causes new growth to emerge twisted or ragged
Feed using rasping mouthparts, mostly eating small plants
Host plants: Wide variety of plants, particularly soft-leaved plants and seedlings
- - Hosta, violet, ageratum, dahlias, larkspur, daylily, and any annual/perennial
    bed that is heavily mulched / moisture laden

Natural predators: nematodes, sciomyzid flies, ground beetles, rove beetles, firefly larvae, toads, frogs, newts, thrushes, ducks, starlings, blackbirds, snakes, turtles, mice, centipedes, shrews
Companion plants: garlic, chives
Remove mulch to reduce slug and snail habitat
Avoid consistent overhead irrigation
Monitor fields during wet and cool conditions
Look for slime trails in the morning
Create barriers to prevent them from reaching the plants
Shelter traps, such as square foot shingle or cardboard segments or beer dishes, can be used to monitor for snails and slugs
Increase sunlight amounts – pruning and spacing plants, removing shade, etc.
Residue management
Soil disturbance
Hand pick them to remove them

Molluscicides:
- Iron phosphate
  - Stops them from eating / modifies metabolism
- Metaldehyde
  - + Methiocarb [1A]
  - Used for a long time / some resistance
  - Dangerous to other animals
  - Acts by stopping the mollusks’ ability to maintain moisture
    and they desiccate
- DRY conditions = our FRIEND