Slugs breed all year with two overlapping generations, the peak egg laying is Mar-Apr and Sept-Oct. Applying Nemaslug every six weeks is the best way to keep slugs at bay throughout the growing season.

If you want to apply nematodes to your greenhouse when the outdoor soil temperature is <5ºC (40ºF) please see our underglass/indoor usage category - all nematodes featured in this section are sent 365 days a year.

Slug monitoring periods and damage thresholds

Our results suggest that by changing the levels of serotonin in healthy slugs, we can replicate the behavioural changes caused by P. hermaphrodita infection. Similarly, we can also reverse the behavioural changes of infected slugs to mimic uninfected members of their species. Borgonie G, García-Moyano A, Litthauer D, Bert W, Bester A, van Heerden E, Möller C, Erasmus M, Onstott TC (2 June 2011). "Nematoda from the terrestrial deep subsurface of South Africa". Nature. 474 (7349): 79–82. Bibcode: 2011Natur.474...79B. doi: 10.1038/nature09974. hdl: 1854/LU-1269676. ISSN 0028-0836. PMID 21637257. S2CID 4399763. Atlantic Europe with its mild temperatures and moist weather is ideal for slugs, so it is no surprise that they are amongst the most damaging UK pests. Bitter continental climates where the soil freezes deeply or regions with hot dry seasons are relatively slug free. R. Krueger; K. E. Dover; R. McSorley; K-H. Wang. "ENY-056/NG045: Marigolds (Tagetes spp.) for Nematode Management". Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences . Retrieved 20 November 2023. Adams, Byron J.; Wall, Diana H.; Storey, Bryan C.; Green, T.G. Allan; Barrett, John E.; Cary, S. Craig; etal. (15 February 2019). "Nematodes in a polar desert reveal the relative role of biotic interactions in the coexistence of soil animals". Communications Biology. 2 (1): 63. doi: 10.1038/s42003-018-0260-y. ISSN 2399-3642. PMC 6377602. PMID 30793042.

How do snails reproduce? Snails are hermaphrodite and take up to 2 hours to mate. They lay a batch of about 80 spherical pearly-white eggs into crevices in the topsoil or sheltered under stones. In a year it may lay six batches or so. That's nearly 500 young snails, which will take one or two years to reach maturity. In total, 4.4 × 10 20 nematodes inhabit the Earth's topsoil, or approximately 60billion for each human, with the highest densities observed in tundra and boreal forests. [22] Once opened, the contents must be used immediately. Unopened, the sachet may be stored in a fridge for 4 weeks or in a cool dark area for 2 days. You can buy nematodes online. However, they aren't necessarily cheap and you do need to follow the very precise instructions on how to use them. How to use nematodes Nosowitz, Fan (8 February 2021). "How California Crops Fought Off a Pest Without Using Pesticide". Modern Farmer . Retrieved 15 February 2021.a b van den Hoogen, Johan; Geisen, Stefan; Routh, Devin; Ferris, Howard; Traunspurger, Walter; Wardle, David A.; etal. (24 July 2019). "Soil nematode abundance and functional group composition at a global scale". Nature. 572 (7768): 194–198. Bibcode: 2019Natur.572..194V. doi: 10.1038/s41586-019-1418-6. hdl: 20.500.11755/c8c7bc6a-585c-4a13-9e36-4851939c1b10. ISSN 0028-0836. PMID 31341281. S2CID 198492891. Archived from the original on 2 March 2020 . Retrieved 10 December 2019.

By autumn slugs are on the decline and do little damage to mature plants. Farmers grow many autumn-sown crops which are highly vulnerable unless pelleted but in gardens most sowing is done in spring at the lowest point in the annual sluggy cycle. For an up-to-date view (as of 2022), see https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fevo.2021.769565/full. Adults: A trap containing nematodes ( S. carpocapsae), isavailable for adult vine weevil. The traps should be placed on the ground below plants damaged by the weevils during the summer. The adults enter the trap during the day and are infected by the nematodes.

The chemical control of slugs

Their numerical dominance, often exceeding a million individuals per square meter and accounting for about 80% of all individual animals on earth, their diversity of lifecycles, and their presence at various trophic levels point to an important role in many ecosystems. [22] [23] In this section, I will discuss the numerous benefits of utilising slug nematodes as a means of pest control in gardens and allotments. Eco-Friendly Pest Control Because larvae feed on plant roots, beneath the soil surface, severe damage can be done before realizing there is a problem. Look for signs of an adult insect, such as leaf-notching. Hauser JT (December 1985). "Nematode-trapping fungi" (PDF). Carnivorous Plant Newsletter. 14 (1): 8–11. The soil should be moist for 2 to 3 weeks after application to enable the nematodes to live. During dry spells watering may be necessary.