Nuneaton & Bedworth Borough Council
Tel: 024 7637 6376
Monday to Friday 9:00am to 5:00pm

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Nuneaton Town Hall
Coton Road, Nuneaton,
Warwickshire, CV11 5AA

Bedworth Area Office
High Street, Bedworth,
Warwickshire, CV12 8NF

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Slugs and Snails

The Borough Council does not offer a service for the treatment of slugs and snails. Details of pest control contractors can be obtained from the yellow pages or via the British Pest Control Association (BPCA) who can be contacted on 0870 609 2687 or visit their website at www.bpca.org.uk

Information on Slugs and Snails

There are 24 different species of slug in Britain, about half of which can be found in the garden. Most slugs eat decaying vegetation, but readily switch to young or delicate plants, feeding on the leaves, stems, roots and tubers.

They evolved from snails and in the course of doing so lost all, or most of their shell. All slugs are hermaphrodite that are they have both male and female sex organs. Mating and cross-fertilisation is the norm, but every individual produces the spherical translucent eggs. These are laid in batches in damp places in the soil or under stones. A small replica of the adult emerges from the egg, and takes between 2 months and a year to mature. The activity of slugs and snails is highest in the spring and autumn. Slugs need to keep moist at all times otherwise they will dehydrate and die: thus they are nocturnal, and more active when it is wet.

These creatures do not pose a significant threat to public health. They do not come indoors to breed but if they find their way indoors, particularly in warm dry rooms, they will die within a day or so due to moisture loss. They may survive longer where they have access to areas with moisture and food debris.

To help prevent further invasion from outside any garden rubbish, e.g. dead leaves etc., should be cleared away from the external walls and doors. A barrier of a slug pellets can be applied to likely external entry points, e.g. airbricks.

A persistent infestation of snails or slugs inside a building would indicate that there is a dampness problem that requires attention. Try to dry rooms where slugs or snails are found in large numbers. Always follow the instructions on the label carefully when using insecticides.