Snails Pest Control Products from DIY Pest Control Slugs and snails both belong to the class Mollusca and are amongst the most easily recognised members of the invertebrates. They occur in every continent of the world. The vast majority of them are phytophagus (plant eating) although a few are predatory on arthropods and other invertebrates. The main distinguishing feature between slugs and snails is the possession by the latter group of a calcareous spiral shell into which the animal can retreat when conditions are difficult. Both slugs and snails lay clusters of shiny whitish eggs covered in a water retaining mucous. The hatching of the eggs may be delayed due to the onset of winter, though this is dependent upon the severity of the cold weather and the species. Young slugs and snails resemble very closely the adults and whereas some species will reach maturity in less than a season, others may require u to 2 years before becoming adults. Nearly all slugs and snails feed upon plant material and some of the slug species, in particular, are significant pests of agriculture and horticulture. Snails are far less of a pest problem, although in some countries (notably Australia), different species of very small snails infest cereal crops and are accidentally harvested causing serious contamination problems. In Britain snails make their main impact in domestic gardens. Both slugs and snails feed by rasping the surface of the plant material with a long roughened "tongue" and both groups exude copious quantities of mucous over which they glide on their "sole", the toughened underbody of the animal. Slugs are more affected by dry conditions than the shell-carrying snails but both groups only occur indoors where very damp conditions prevail. Outbuildings with heaps of newspaper, sacking, and particularly with earth floors are occasional homes for slugs and snails and form ideal hibernation areas. Damp cellars are sometimes favoured by small snails where they browse on mould and fungal growth and algae that form on the damp walls of the building. The slimy trails and sticky faecal pellets can cause unpleasant contamination and vegetables brought indoors may become contaminated from snails and slugs already in the pantry. Vegetables may already contain unnoticed slugs and snails when purchased or harvested from the garden. These may migrate in the house, adding to the domestic fauna and cross-contaminate other goods. One species recognised as occurring with some frequency indoors is the cellar slug (Limax flavus)

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