In 2023, finding defoliation on garden plants isn’t out of the norm, as grasshopper populations are causing issues throughout the state. What is odd is finding defoliation on plants and not seeing any grasshopper activity on or around the plant
That’s what I was dealing with last week while working in my garden. After close examination of several heavily defoliated plants, I finally found the slimy culprit—a slug. Slugs tend to be more of an issue during cool, wet weather, of which we have had neither in Brookings.
So why are slugs showing up? The answer to that lies in my weed control efforts. Starting in 2022, I used cardboard as a mulch substitute, as it suppresses weeds and helps retain soil moisture. The cardboard created a microclimate that is ideal for slugs, and at night they move to my plants to feed.
Fortunately, slugs are easy to manage, but it is important to remember that management efforts to remove one problem can sometimes create a completely different one.
Identification and Lifecycle
Slugs can be difficult to find during the day, unless they are on plants in a cool, shaded area. They typically will be hiding under soil clumps, mulch, or any other objects during the day. At night, the slugs come out of hiding and begin searching for food. They have brown-to-gray-colored soft bodies that are slimy. Slugs can vary in length from one-quarter of an inch to two inches. Their heads have two pairs of feelers that vary in length. The longer pair of feelers contains the slug’s eyes, and the bottom pair is used for smelling.
As the slugs move, they produce slime that aids their movement. This slime dries on the plant and produces a noticeable trail that can be used in identifying slug activity.
Source: sdstate.edu
Photo Credit: gettyimages-fotokostic
Categories: South Dakota, Crops