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Welcome Garden Insects

SNAILS AND SLUGS

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Common slug

Photo taken on The Bluff, Durban

A common pest during wet weather it damages many types of plants. They are light grey to black, fleshy, slimy animals that feed mainly at night.

Favourite food: Young leaves, stems, flowers and roots. Small seedlings are especially vulnerable.
Control:
  • Pour salt on them and watch them shrivel up as the salt dries them out.
  • Keep the area free of anything that may provide a moist cool place for them to hide.
  • Cut branches of trees or shrubs which touch the ground.
  • Rake the leaves or mulch in order to allow the ground to dry.
  • Commercial snail bait can be used to kill slugs.
  • Beer traps. Empty cans buried up to the lip and partially filled with beer can be effective slug traps. Beer should be changed every few days to remain effective.
  • Diatomaceous earth, wood ash, lime or sawdust, can be sprinkled around planted beds to create a barrier.

  • Some of these measures are more effective than others. Barriers of diatomaceous earth, sawdust, wood ash, and lime may need to be replaced after each rain. Do not use barriers of salt, this can damage your soil. A combination of two or more of these measures should control your slug problems.



    Photo taken on The Bluff, Durban