DESCRIPTION
Soft-bodied muscular mollusks (not insects) which move on a large flat foot, leaving a slimy trail of mucus. Slugs can be orange, grey, brown or black. They are most active at night or during wet weather.

DAMAGE
Slugs feed on a wide variety of plant foliage, “rasping” irregular-shaped holes causing leaves to look tattered. They can also completely eat seedlings and damage blossoms on flowering plants.

LIFE CYCLE
Adults lay egg clusters in moist soil under stones or debris. Eggs hatch in 2 to 4 weeks, with slugs growing for 5 to 24 months before reaching sexual maturity.

CONTROLS
• Reduce moisture level in garden and remove debris or other daytime hiding places.
• Reduce or remove plants prone to slug attack.
• Protect seedlings using a barrier of wood ashes or diatomaceous earth (try to keep dry).
• Copper-backed paper stapled to boards works well also.
• Collect slugs at night using flashlight.
• Place wood, cabbage leaf, overturned pots, inverted grapefruit half traps or a small amount a beer in a container in the garden. Check during days and destroy slugs.
• Place slug bait containing Metaldehyde in areas where slugs are evident.
• To protect animals, put bait under rocks or in a bait protector (inverted coffee can with holes along bottom).