Cool facts you didn’t know about slugs and snails
Slugs and snails often cause proud gardeners to shudder, but there are actually plenty of cool facts about them that you will be surprised. Some people like them, some are disgusted by them, and others like to add to them to their meals. However, snails are interesting to observe, especially when they show up on grass surfaces after the rain. Here are some mind-blowing facts about snails and slugs that you didn’t know about and will definitely change your opinion about snails and slugs.
Snails can get lost
If you move a snail only 30 feet further from the place you find it, it will never find its way back. Their homing instincts only cover short distances. Therefore, they can’t recognize any other location or have an idea where they are.
They are slow movers
Snails can only move 3,2 feet per hour which means they can traverse a medium-sized garden during one night.
Snails are dangerous
We know that these tiny creatures are a nightmare for gardeners, but they are also a nightmare for dog-owners. Some of the snails carry a parasite called angiostrongylus vasorum affects dogs’ heart rate, and sometimes it can even be fatal. So, they are not always the favorite cartoon characters.
Snails hate salt
Snails are highly intolerant to salt, and if you spray them with this white substance, they will die.
Anti-slug lettuce
Growing a lettuce anywhere in the world it’s going to be a hard job to do because snails are everywhere. If you still do want to grow some fresh lettuce in your backyard, then choose the Cos type because it’s the one most immune to slugs.
Snails and slugs love dampness
Snails and slugs are most active in wet weather, so if you live in a rainy area, you will never get rid of them.
Slugs are underground creatures
Almost 95% of all the slugs in the world live underground, and we never see them. They spend their time eating seeds and roots and laying eggs. Snails lay 80-120 eggs multiple times during one year.
Slugs can bite
Believe it or not, slugs have more than 27.000 teeth, and yes, they can bite.
They don’t only eat healthy plants
Despite eating healthy plants, snails also attack the decomposing vegetation. Therefore, they are not as bad for the garden as you think. On the contrary, this makes them vital for the ecosystem.
Snails hibernate, slugs don’t
Snails are the lazy ones in this group, and they hibernate during the entire winter period. Slugs, on the other hand, stay active in winter even when the temperatures are below 40 degrees Fahrenheit.
Use vinegar to clean slug slime
If you want to clean slug slime, use vinegar. It will not only remove the slime but also disinfect the whole surface. You can also add vinegar to the slug sprays to make them more effective.
Slugs are hermaphrodites
Slugs are hermaphrodites and can self-reproduce. Isn’t that amazing? But if two slugs mate, they both became pregnant. This amazing phenomenon helps them to reproduce faster and easier.
Every single slug has around 90.000 grandchildren
There is no wonder that they have such a high number of grandchildren knowing that each of them can reproduce by itself.
They are ambitious eaters
Slugs consume around forty times their weight in one day. They can also stretch to approximately twenty times their length in order to squeeze through narrow gaps.
They are nocturnal creatures
Most of the snail and slug species are nocturnal, and they don’t like to be exposed at sunlight. This probably explains why we only see them during the day when it rains, and there is no sun. Good luck with your vegetable garden!
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