← All pests and diseases
Slugs and snails
Insect or pest Deroceras, Arion, Cornu, and others
Holes or chewed leavesSeedlings cut down or goneDamaged fruit, pods, or ears
How to spot it
Soft, slimy creatures, gray, brown, or spotted, from 1/4 inch to several inches long; snails carry shells. Look for shiny slime trails. They feed at night and on damp days.
What it does
They chew ragged holes in leaves and fruit, eat seedlings to the ground, and hollow out strawberries.
What to do now
- Pick them off at night with a flashlight.
- Set out boards or shallow cups of beer and empty them each morning.
- Scatter iron phosphate bait around plants; it's safe around pets and wildlife.
Keep it away next time
- Water in the morning, not the evening.
- Pull mulch back from seedlings and clear boards and debris they hide under.
- Put copper tape around the edges of raised beds.
Helpful supplies
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Plants it affects
Not sure? Your county extension office can identify it from a photo or sample, often for free.