Slugs on Strawberry
Return to Insects and Other Arthropod Pests
Slugs (Class Gastropoda) range in color from yellow to black and may be ¼ to 1 inch or longer. They feed by rasping ragged holes in berries. Tell-tale slimy trails are left on fruit surfaces, making slug damage easy to verify. Slugs require a damp, moist environment to survive, so most injury occurs during rainy spring months.
Adult slug with eggs.
(Photo: Ric Bessin, University of Kentucky)
Slug damage.
(Photo: Ric Bessin, University of Kentucky)
Slug in berry.
(Photo: Ric Bessin, University of Kentucky)
Management:
- Remove excess mulch or litter on soil surfaces, manage weeds, and plant at lower crop densities to reduce conditions favoring slugs.
- Various slug traps (stale beer trap) may be effective for small plantings, but they are not practical for larger plantings.
- Slug and snail toxicant baits can be used for a higher level of control.
