One of the most common and bothersome pests found in gardens, orchards, and landscapes in the United States are slugs and snails.
The slimy pests thrive in moisture ridden places where there is plenty of shade such as under rocks or in well-mulched gardens.
Slugs and snails are most active during the night where they will feed on a wide selection of plants and plant decay. They can cause severe damage to plants by chewing large holes in the foliage of vegetables and fruits such as artichokes, strawberries, and tomatoes. They will also attach other garden vegetables, landscaping flowers, and citrus trees.
While not considered an insect, slugs and snails are closely related and are species of the mollusk phylum. Both pests have a similar body structure, but a snail has a shell, where a slug does not. They both rely on their muscular body to move and secrete a noticeable trail of slime as they glide.
Many species of the slimy pests tend to hibernate in the soil during the winter months. In the late spring when temperatures are warmer, up to 100 eggs are deposited along the soil cracks, under garden debris, and in cool damp places. Because both snails and slugs have male and female organs, they can easily find mates for reproduction.
Eggs hatch within 1 to 3 weeks in most cases but can take up to 3 months if conditions are not ideal. Young mollusks stay close to their nest several days after hatching but will leave to hunt for food soon after.
A fully grown snail or slug develops within 3 to 6 months, sometimes up to a year depending on the species.
If you begin to notice signs of these common pests, you can control them safely and naturally by removing garden debris, weeds, and any unnecessary bricks or large rocks where they may be hiding.
You can also pick the slimy pests off of plants where noticed and deposit them into a container of water for easy removal.
You can take things one step further by placing small dishes or lids of beer into the soil near plants in your garden. The pests are attracted to the beer and will climb into the dish and drown. Keep in mind you will need to replace the beer after several days in the hot sun or after a rainstorm.
