Slugs and Snails on Strawberry
How to identify and get rid of slugs and snails on Strawberry. Size: 5–100mm depending on species.
Identifying slugs and snails on Strawberry
Irregular holes in leaves and, most damagingly, in ripening fruit, with silvery slime trails visible nearby, especially after rain.
Life cycle
Hermaphroditic, laying clusters of translucent eggs in moist soil or under debris. Eggs hatch within a few weeks; most species live one to two years with overlapping generations.
Damage to Strawberry
Slugs and snails target ripening strawberries directly, often hollowing out fruit overnight just as it becomes ready to pick, causing significant crop loss.
How to treat slugs and snails on Strawberry
Hand-pick at night with a torch, use iron phosphate-based slug pellets (safe around edible crops), or set beer traps between plants.
Preventing slugs and snails on Strawberry
Use straw mulch carefully (it can also shelter slugs) or switch to a plastic mulch, keep fruit off the ground with supports, and clear debris where slugs hide during the day.