What you need to know about snail and slug baiting

Chomp! Chomp! Chomp! There go the slugs and snails eating your new seedlings. Time for the snail bait.

It seems to be the way that just as the seasons turn and we swap from one crop to the next or new shoots appear in our gardens – so do the slugs and snails.
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It’s Autumn as we write this and we’ve had a nice amount of rain and the usual sunny days. That means that we are out in the garden enjoying the last of the sunshine but also noticing the pests. Did you know that this is actually the best time for slug and snail baiting?

​When is the best time to lay slug or snail bait?

​Primary Industries and Resources SA (PIRSA) recommend slug and snail baiting after Autumn rain. This is before crops or seedlings grow too big and before slugs and snail egg laying season. 

​Why is Autumn (Fall) the best time for snail baiting?

​The best time to use biological slug and snail controls  is in Autumn (late March to April in Adelaide), before the break of the season, or soon after the late autumn rains arrive because:

1. Adult snails and slugs are killed before they get a chance to lay their eggs. Eggs are laid in soil which is damp enough to germinate grasses.
2. Snails and slugs are hungry after spending the summer period inactive and there is little alternative feed to compete with the baits.
3. The ground is comparatively bare so the chance of a snail contacting a bait is increased.
4. Rain is infrequent, so the field life of baits is extended.

​Does snail bait kill earthworms?

​Most commercial snail baits are toxic to earthworms. The snail bait we stock is certified Organic and won’t kill earthworms, pets or native animals.

​Why isn’t the snail bait working?

There are a few reasons why the snail bait may not seem to be working:

1. It takes a few days for the bait to take effect after being eaten
2. Some species of snails and slugs are resistant to common toxic poisons
3. Mice and other animals may be eating the snail bait
4. You have used a copper spray (Bordeaux mix) and it’s repelling the snails

At MD Pest Control, we recommend our organic snail and slug pellet to control the pests now so you cut their breeding cycle and save your young Autumn and Spring seedlings. The benefit of our pellets is that they are safe for the good earthworms in your garden and any native birds who might eat the baited snails.

Autumn is also a good time to bait for rats and mice who are known to eat the biological slug and snail controls you put down to protect your plants.

Contact our team on 0407 614 220 for pricing and orders of 1kg and 5kg bags or 20kg buckets of slug and snail bait pellets.