What do snails eat?

It seems that we already know the world of mammals quite a bit. Knowing how to distinguish between herbivores and carnivores is part of general culture, even instinct. However, there are some animals in which it can be more difficult for us to guess their main source of food, especially if they are more distant from us, such as insects or invertebrates. But since this is a blog about gardening, we are going to focus on some little animals that can be a bit of a problem in gardens. Specifically, we are going to answer the question that you are surely asking yourself: What do snails eat?

Apart from explaining a bit how these invertebrates feed, we will also give some tips and tricks to avoid having to deal with snails in our garden. If it’s already too late, don’t worry. We will also discuss what to do if they have already infested our crops.

feeding snails

Like all animals, snails also need to eat something. But do you know what snails eat? These little invertebrates they are mainly herbivorous. However, on some occasions they can also consume algae, fungi and decomposing plant materials. In general, snails feed on a wide variety of plants, especially their fruits, flowers, stems, and leaves.

And how do they do it? These little animals have a mouth that houses a rough tongue, called a “radula.” With it they are able to both scrape and cut pieces of food. They then digest the food in their stomach with the help of digestive enzymes, just like us. In fact, if we look closely at them, we can even see how they eat food. It is very curious!

If you are horticulturists, it may be that you have already experienced a snail infestation. It is quite common for them to appear in the garden, especially when it has rained or we have watered recently. Not surprisingly, it turns out to be an all-you-can-eat buffet for them. Among the vegetables that we usually grow, the ones that attract them the most are leafy vegetables, such as lettuce, but they also love tomatoes and peppers, among many others. For this reason, it is worth knowing some methods of both prevention and treatment in case of suffering from a snail infestation. We’ll discuss what we can do next.

What plants do not eat snails?

Now that we know what snails eat, that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t keep planting those vegetables. In fact, a good way to prevent these animals from appearing is growing plants that do not eat around the crop. Among them are lavender, sage, mustard, rosemary, begonia, geraniums and nasturtium. Not only is it a good way to repel snails and slugs, but it will give our garden a more beautiful touch.

What else can we do to prevent the appearance of these invertebrates? As you probably already know, snails really like humidity. Therefore we must Avoid over-wetting plants. A good method to achieve this is drip irrigation. In addition, it is advisable to water in the morning instead of doing it at night.

It doesn’t hurt either control humid and shady holes. That is where they like to take shelter and lay eggs. Keeping an eye out from time to time will help prevent a larger infestation of snails and slugs. It is also highly advisable to remove the soil from time to time, especially in those places that are cooler and darker, as they tend to lay eggs there.

Another very effective method, both to prevent its appearance and to solve an infestation of snails, is the introduction of natural predators. Among them are frogs, beetles, lizards, salamanders, turtles, vipers, ducks, hedgehogs, chickens, etc. We really have a wide selection on this one.

Apart from cultivating plants that snails do not eat around the garden, we can use other elements that will give us less work. The ash, for example, prevent these little animals from advancing. Spreading it around the crops will be of great help. Also the eggshells or crushed shells They are usually highly effective. These invertebrates do not like to move on this type of surface.

Treatments in case of plague

In the event that our garden is already infested with snails and slugs, There are several ecological methods to solve it. Remember that using chemical repellents can have consequences for the environment, for our plants, for other animals and for ourselves.

The first option is just pick them up with your hands. If you give us a little something, we can use gloves to carry out this task. Since they are very slow animals and quite visible, it is a quick solution in the event that our garden is not excessively large. In extensive crops, this task can take a long time, so it is better to opt for other methods.

There is also the possibility of using traps to capture snails and slugs. Among the most used are stones, bowls, tiles, branches and other similar objects where they could hide during the day. With the help of these traps it will be easier for us to locate the snails the next day. Other types of traps consist of simply placing lettuce leaves, waiting, and thus collecting as many snails and slugs as possible.

To attract these little animals, we also have the option of sprinkling some cookie crumbs or placing beer, sugar water, watermelon peels, oranges, potatoes or melon on low plates. Of course, we must locate them in some humid and shady place. This way we will attract many snails that we can easily remove. One more trick would be soak a rag with beer or milk and leave it near the plants overnight. The next day, it will most likely be full of snails and slugs.

I hope this information about what snails eat has been interesting for you. By following these little tricks to prevent the appearance of these invertebrates in your garden, you should not run the risk of plague, at least from these animals.