Does Pest Control Get Rid Of Slugs? (Mooresville Exterminators)

Gastropods: Slugs & Snails

Slugs and snails are parts of the family of gastropods. They live all over the world - from Asia to the United States, you name it. There is no part in this world that does not have a species of gastropod.

These creatures love damp habitats as do most pests. Even so, they can still be found in dry areas such as rocky heights. More often than not you can find them in cool and dark places in your lawn or garden.

Gastropods establish their habitats in fallen leaves, mulch, and wood stacks. They turn gardens and other vegetation grounds to their food source and breeding area. These creatures are nocturnal in nature. However, you can still spot them because of the trails they leave that is visible in the daylight. The gastropods themselves are not parasites. The problem with these creatures is that they are the ones who host parasites. 

Parasites From Slugs

If you are a pet lover and enthusiast, slugs are one of your mortal enemies. Apart from the fact that they put goo all over your pet's fur, they can also give them diseases. The lungworm (Angiostrongylus vasorum) is known by scientists as a common and dangerous snail worldwide. It is a slug parasite whose life begins in an infected gastropod where these creatures lay eggs and grow their larvae.

These infected gastropods crawl on the grass or stay in stagnant water. It leaves stool containing their larvae for dogs and cats to consume. When they do, the larvae travel through the animal's bloodstream to their lungs and their heart. Once they established themselves inside, they start to grow into adults and start to lay more eggs.

The eggs from the adults could hatch inside the lungs, inhibiting the animal's ability to breathe. As time passes by, the larvae travel to the stomach and soon become a part of the stool. Once it is excreted, gastropods will feast on the parasite and the cycle begins all over again.

You can see how dangerous these beings can be. According to scientists, these parasites from slugs can cause respiratory diseases, coughing, lethargy, weight loss, hemophilia, and fainting among dogs and cats. This condition can be fatal to animals, especially to those with malnutrition, and those with poor resistance.

If you suspect a parasite infestation on your pet, contact your veterinarian as soon as possible. The treatment of lungworms from slugs includes medication. It could even lead to blood transfusion and oxygen therapy in worse conditions. 

Prevent Your Pet From Having Lungworm

We all know how dogs can be very curious creatures. They go wherever they want. They eat whatever they want even without the permission of their caretakers. This is one of the most important reasons why we need to prevent lungworms to the extent of our abilities.

Treatment of the lungworm starts by getting rid of every possible host that they can latch to such as snails and slugs. Here are some of the most common ways to get rid of slugs:

Mixture Of Vinegar

You can use a mixture of vinegar and water to repel slugs and other gastropods in your garden. All you need to do is mix 1 part of water to one-eight part of vinegar and you're all set. This method will not harm your plants in any way. In fact, this is an all-around solution to get rid of many kinds of pests aside from slugs. It can also target ants, beetles, and many more. 

Pet Supervision

As a responsible pet owner, it is your job to do what is best for your fur baby. One of them is ample pet supervision. Even if they are only in our backyard, there are still factors that could affect their safety. So, if we cannot do it ourselves, better have someone as responsible as you are to keep watch.

While your pet is playing outdoors, always keep them company. Get their attention when they are eating from the ground or when they are digging. Before they go back home or back to their cages, be sure to wash their paws and treat their fur before they go to bed. This will make sure that they will not lick the parasite from their bodies. 

Watch For Wounds

Lungworms can access the bloodstream through open wounds. Before you let your dogs out, you need to see if they have wounds on their feet. If they do, it's best if you keep them outdoors just until the wound heals. I know, it's going to be hard seeing your fur baby get sad and bored but it is for his own good. 

Rinse Outdoor Toys

The infected stool could also be in the toys of your pets. So, be sure to wash those before you let them play it. You can never be too careful, you need to put safety first. 

Rinse Vegetables Before Eating

If you have a vegetable or fruit garden, be sure to wash them first with lukewarm water before you ingest it. If you are planning to have it on your dog's or cat's diet, be sure to wash it as well to prevent any infestation of lungworms. 

Add Natural Predators

This is one of the most basic ways to naturally get rid of gastropods. All you need to do is have two or more of these animals to keep their population at bay, ducks, salamanders, beetles, fireflies, shrews, turtles, hedgehogs, chicken, nematodes, and praying mantises.

Catch And Release

You can set a trap to get them in one place. As we have discussed, slugs love dark, damp places. Just place a damp wood in a dark, cool place and let it stay there until morning. When gastropods accumulate on the wet board, take it and release the creatures to the wilderness where they belong. If you want, you can have the birds feast on them. 

Beer Trap

Who would have known that slugs are attracted to beer? To create your own beer trap, all you need to do is fill a bottle with an inch of beer. Leave it without its lid and bury it with the rim on the ground level. The gastropods will surely dive into the trap and will soon meet their demise. Every morning, check the bottle and clean it as often as you can. 

Use Broken Eggshells

The tender and slimy bodies of slugs cannot withstand the sharp edges of broken eggshells. To repel these creatures, you can scatter broken eggshells along with your garden. This works best especially knowing that it could also serve as a good fertilizer for plants. 

Coffee Grounds

This is one of the natural ways to get rid of slugs. with its use, you can benefit from the aroma it gives off. But this does not affect slugs the same way. They do not like the smell of coffee. So, just sprinkle somewhere pest activity is common. Let it decompose and add some more. 

Sprinkle Salt

It is not a surprise that slugs die in salt. So, sprinkle some on your garden and you're all set! 

Use Copper Fences

There is an old belief that copper can shock slugs. So, to prevent them from ever entering your garden put up some copper fences around your lawn. Copper tubing or flashing could work depending on the resources you have.

Slugs Are Not Much For Scented Flowers

So, if you want to get rid of them, place some of the most fragrant flowers in your garden such as rosemary, begonia, cyclamen, hydrangea, poppy, nasturtium, sage, and lantana. 

Have Yourself A Companion Plant

One good strategy is to place complementary plants together. You can put sacrificial plants you know slugs love near some of your precious plants to get them away from your favorite plants. 

Keep Your Garden Unattractive To Slugs

We all know how slugs love nesting in dark and damp places. So, keeping the garden clean and organized can reduce the places where they can find comfort.

Get To Know The Trusted Mooresville Exterminators

There are many ways to get rid of slugs all by yourself. But it does not mean that it is as effective as hiring a professional. Indeed you can call a local exterminator near Mooresville NC. They use materials that are specific for slug extermination and prevention.

Anywhere in the world, there are slugs and other different kinds of gastropods. Luckily, even if you are in North Carolina there is Lake Norman Pest Control waiting for your call. If you are looking for an affordable way to get rid of slugs, you only need to contact the best among the rest.

Lake Norman Pest Control offers state-of-the-art methods for slug extermination. With their intelligent use of Integrated Pest Management, you do not have to worry about any residue from pesticides. Looking for a quick, affordable, and effective way to get rid of slugs? Contact us now!