Snails and Slugs

Description
Snails and slugs are mollusks, belonging to the same group as oysters and clams. Snails and slugs are quite similar to each other except that snails have an external shell. Both secrete mucus, which helps them to glide along. The mucus dries to become the familiar shiny slime trail, a good clue to their presence. These land mollusks require moisture to survive and, therefore, are most troublesome in wet areas. When conditions are dry they go dormant, becoming active again only when moisture is available. They lay their eggs in damp soil under rocks or plant debris. Snails and slugs take from 2 months to 2 years to become adults. Dense ground covers, such as ivy, are ideal hiding and breeding places for them. They feed on either living or decaying plant material, or both. Some species are more troublesome than others, and size alone is not a good indicator of how serious a pest it is.

Control
Apply a bait containing metaldehyde in bands around the areas you wish to protect. Also scatter the bait in areas where snails or slugs might be hiding, such as in dense ground cover, weedy areas, compost piles, or pot storage areas. Before spreading the bait, wet down the areas to be treated to encourage snail and slug activity that night. Repeat the application every 2 weeks as long as snails and slugs are active. Handpicking and disposing of snails and slugs consistently over a long period will greatly reduce populations.