Snails the good and the bad

[Chuck]

North America has had so much rain this year that many gardeners are experiencing a lot of damage from snails and slugs, more than likely more so from snails. But not all snails are harmful. I would bet that most of us know little or nothing about snails. A snail is a snail is a snail. Not so. There is a common species of snail called a decollate snail. They come in different colors and sizes although none are very large, but they all have one thing in common. They are shaped like an ice cream cone and they eat other snails. The most common harmful snail is the Brown Garden Snail. These are usually brown in color and are more or less round and/or flat. These are the guys who will shred your garden plants. So when you see an ice cream cone shaped snail don't squash him. I the US we have a very effective means of controlling slugs and snails. It is an organic and safe product called either Sluggo or Sluggo Plus. Sluggo Plus has spinosad in it which also makes it very effective against cut worms.
http://www.pe.com/articles/snails-644168-brown-garden.html
A decollate snail and its eggs

 

[CrazyConure]

Thank you for this. Does this go for ALL snails with cone shaped shells? I remember seeing small ones with them as a kid. I would never have guessed that they were cannibals.

With all this rain, I have been getting a ton of snails chowing down on my garden. I ordered Sluggo. The plus costs more and I don't have any cut worms.


Just like buying ladybugs to control aphids, would it makes sense to buy these coned snails to eat the other ones?

 

[Chuck]

Thank you for this. Does this go for ALL snails with cone shaped shells? I remember seeing small ones with them as a kid. I would never have guessed that they were cannibals.

With all this rain, I have been getting a ton of snails chowing down on my garden. I ordered Sluggo. The plus costs more and I don't have any cut worms.


Just like buying ladybugs to control aphids, would it makes sense to buy these coned snails to eat the other ones?

This is hard to believe but the government restricts the sale of Decollate snails to Southern California. In their infinite wisdom they do not allow them anywhere else because they might eat other endangered snails as if snail baits and products such as Sluggo will not kill them too. Another example of government stupidity.

Decollate snails are the only ones shaped like a cone

 

[CrazyConure]

I found this snail on a wall. Is this the good type?

 

[Chuck]

I found this snail on a wall. Is this the good type?

Yep, one of the good guys.

 

[CrazyConure]

I saw a few of those. i should have brought it home. I wasn't near my house when I saw it. He would of had a nice dinner tonight. I saw more slime on my butternut squash. I see a little damage on one of my younger butternut leaves. I saw there was no more bait left, so I added much more. I admit I was being a little cheap with my slug before. I just didn't want to waste it.

 

[Chuck]

I saw a few of those. i should have brought it home. I wasn't near my house when I saw it. He would of had a nice dinner tonight. I saw more slime on my butternut squash. I see a little damage on one of my younger butternut leaves. I saw there was no more bait left, so I added much more. I admit I was being a little cheap with my slug before. I just didn't want to waste it.

Well, as soon as all this wet weather goes away so will the slugs and snails in the most part

 

[CrazyConure]

I really hope so. I'm so sick of snails already. I just want them gone.

 

[Chuck]

I really hope so. I'm so sick of snails already. I just want them gone.

Maybe you could ship some to France

 

[Beth_B]

The only tasty part about snails is the herb garlic butter they're served in. And I've had them in France several times; I lived there for a while. Otherwise chewy and really not that great.

Thanks Chuck for the info, I didn't know that. No snails here (plenty of slugs though and yes Sluggo works).

 

[CrazyConure]

Sad.

Just checked my garden and I see my newly transplanted basil EATEN. Also my jalapeños. Those were NEVER eaten until today. I don't see slime on any stems. I just put the bait out. This damage happened in the day time.

What should I do? I'm going to post pictures of the damage.

I'm pretty angry right now. What's eating my garden??????

 

[Chuck]

Sad.

Just checked my garden and I see my newly transplanted basil EATEN. Also my jalapeños. Those were NEVER eaten until today. I don't see slime on any stems. I just put the bait out. This damage happened in the day time.

What should I do? I'm going to post pictures of the damage.

I'm pretty angry right now. What's eating my garden??????

Take some good pics

 

[CrazyConure]

Here's a weird bug i just found. I have been trying to get it on photo of a while. I always see them in my garden.

 

[Chuck]

Here's a weird bug i just found. I have been trying to get it on photo of a while. I always see them in my garden.

Ok. On the first pic that is old damage. See how the cut limb has already turned brown/white and the leaf is the same way. It takes a couple of days for the plant to scab over like this, not in one afternoon. Slugs/snails............The second pic shows the same thing. Third pic same thing except the chewed leaf damage is newer, no browning yet. fourth pic, good guy. Use more sluggo around all those new seedlings. Pill bugs might become a problem later. For sluggo to work the culprit has to crawl across it as they don't eat it

 

[CrazyConure]

Thank you. I see snails all over now! It's raining! I'm going to add more sluggo.