{"id":1957,"date":"2016-05-13T16:22:18","date_gmt":"2016-05-13T23:22:18","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blogs.cdfa.ca.gov\/Section3162\/?p=1957"},"modified":"2025-10-03T10:32:19","modified_gmt":"2025-10-03T17:32:19","slug":"snails-and-slugs","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.cdfa.ca.gov\/Section3162\/?p=1957","title":{"rendered":"Snails, Slugs &amp; other Molluscs"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Snails and slugs are among the most bothersome pests in many gardens and landscapes.\u00a0They\u00a0feed on a variety of living plants and on decaying plant matter. They chew irregular holes with smooth edges in leaves and flowers and can clip succulent plant parts. They also can chew fruit and young plant bark.<\/p>\n<p>The brown garden snail, <em>Cornu aspersum<\/em> (formerly <em>Helix aspersa<\/em>), is the most common snail causing problems in California gardens. It was introduced from France during the 1850s for use as food. Another troublesome snail is the white garden snail, <em>Theba pisana<\/em>.<\/p>\n<p>Several species of slugs also cause damage including the gray garden slug (<em>Deroceras reticulatum<\/em>, formerly <em>Agriolimax meticulatus<\/em>), the banded slug (<em>Lehmannia poirieri<\/em>), the three-band garden slug (<em>L. valentiana<\/em>), the tawny slug (<em>Limacus flavus<\/em>), and the greenhouse slug (<em>Milax gagates<\/em>).<\/p>\n<address>Source (<em>including image of\u00a0tawny slug on ripe strawberry<\/em>): <a title=\"UC IPM Snails and Slugs Management Guidelines\" href=\"http:\/\/www.ipm.ucdavis.edu\/PMG\/PESTNOTES\/pn7427.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">UC IPM Online<\/a><br \/>\nJack Kelly Clark, ANR Communication Services, principal photographer<\/address>\n<hr \/>\n<h3>PEST RATING PROPOSALS:<\/h3>\n<h5>\u21d2 BIVALVIA<\/h5>\n<h5>\u21d2 GASTROPODA<\/h5>\n<h5><span style=\"color: #000000;\">\u21d2<\/span>\u00a0SNAILS<\/h5>\n<h3>PEST RATINGS:<\/h3>\n<h5>\u21d2 BIVALVIA<\/h5>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.cdfa.ca.gov\/Section3162\/?p=13718\"><em>Limnoperna fortunei<\/em> (Dunker): Golden mussel<\/a><br \/>\n<strong>Pest Rating: A<\/strong><\/p>\n<h5>\u21d2 GASTROPODA<\/h5>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.cdfa.ca.gov\/Section3162\/?p=13656\"><em>Allopeas clavulinum <\/em>(Potiez &amp; Michaud): spike awlsnail<\/a><br \/>\n<strong>Pest Rating: B<\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><a href=\"http:\/\/blogs.cdfa.ca.gov\/Section3162\/?p=4226\">Banded Wood\u00a0Snail:\u00a0\u00a0<em>Cepaea\u00a0nemoralis<\/em><\/a><br \/>\n<strong>Pest Rating: A\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><a href=\"http:\/\/wp.me\/p5l8vQ-wT\">Chinese Slug:<em> Meghimatium bilineatum<\/em> (Benson)<\/a><br \/>\n<strong>Pest Rating: A<\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.cdfa.ca.gov\/Section3162\/?p=13711\"><em>Cochlicella barbara<\/em> (Linnaeus): Small pointed snail<\/a><br \/>\n<strong>Pest Rating: C<\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.cdfa.ca.gov\/Section3162\/?p=10653\"><em>Lissachatina fulica<\/em> (Bowdich): giant African snail<\/a><br \/>\n<strong>Pest Rating: A\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><a href=\"http:\/\/wp.me\/p5l8vQ-ry\">A Semi-Slug: <em>Parmarion martensi<\/em> (Simroth)<\/a><br \/>\n<strong>Pest Rating: A<\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.cdfa.ca.gov\/Section3162\/?p=12622\"><em>Veronicella cubensis <\/em>(L. Pfeiffer): Leatherleaf slug<\/a><br \/>\n<strong>Pest Rating: A\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<h5><span style=\"color: #008000;\">\u21d2<\/span>\u00a0SNAILS<\/h5>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><a href=\"http:\/\/blogs.cdfa.ca.gov\/Section3162\/?p=409\">Cuban Brown Snail: \u00a0<em>Zachrysia provisoria<\/em> (Pfeiffer)<\/a><strong><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\">Pest Rating: \u00a0A<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.cdfa.ca.gov\/Section3162\/?p=14039\"><em>Pomacea canaliculata <\/em>(Lamarck): Channeled apple snail\u00a0<\/a><\/span><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><br \/>\n<strong>Pest Rating: B<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.cdfa.ca.gov\/Section3162\/?p=11527\"><i>Xerotricha conspurcata <\/i>(Draparnaud)<\/a><br \/>\n<strong>Pest Rating: C\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Snails and slugs are among the most bothersome pests in many gardens and landscapes.\u00a0They\u00a0feed on a variety of living plants and on decaying plant matter. They chew irregular holes with smooth edges in leaves and flowers and can clip succulent plant parts. They also can chew fruit and young plant bark. The brown garden snail, &hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.cdfa.ca.gov\/Section3162\/?p=1957\" class=\"more-link\">Continue reading <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Snails, Slugs &amp; other Molluscs<\/span> <span class=\"meta-nav\">&rarr;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1117,"featured_media":2001,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":true,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[333],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1957","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-ratings"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.cdfa.ca.gov\/Section3162\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/snails-and-slugs-featured-image.jpg?fit=1038%2C588&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p5l8vQ-vz","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":2111,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.cdfa.ca.gov\/Section3162\/?p=2111","url_meta":{"origin":1957,"position":0},"title":"Image Credits","author":"Admin","date":"May 13, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"Top Row: Image, left: Cereal Leaf Beetle (Oulema melanopus) by Hania Berdys (bugwood.org) Image, center: Zaprionus cf. indianus by Darren J. Obbard (obbardlab) Image, right: Horidiplosis ficifolii: an Ornamental Fig Pest by Jakub Ber\u00e1nek Bottom Row: Image, left: Mediterranean Fruit Fly by Scott Bauer, USDA Agricultural Research Service, Bugwood.org Image,\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Image Credits&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Image Credits","link":"https:\/\/blogs.cdfa.ca.gov\/Section3162\/?cat=345"},"img":{"alt_text":"Insects and Mites Banner","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.cdfa.ca.gov\/Section3162\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/insects-and-mites-featured-image-1024x580.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":2039,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.cdfa.ca.gov\/Section3162\/?p=2039","url_meta":{"origin":1957,"position":1},"title":"Chinese Slug  |  Meghimatium bilineatum (Benson)","author":"Jason Leathers","date":"June 21, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"California Pest Rating for Chinese Slug\u00a0 |\u00a0 Meghimatium bilineatum (Benson) Gastropoda: Philomycidae Pest Rating: A PEST RATING PROFILE Initiating Event: Meghimatium bilineatum has been intercepted by CDFA\u2019s high risk programs, border stations, and dog teams and presently has a temporary rating of \u201cQ\u201d.\u00a0 A pest rating proposal is required to\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Gastropoda&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Gastropoda","link":"https:\/\/blogs.cdfa.ca.gov\/Section3162\/?cat=294"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":14039,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.cdfa.ca.gov\/Section3162\/?p=14039","url_meta":{"origin":1957,"position":2},"title":"Pomacea canaliculata (Lamarck): Channeled apple snail","author":"Kyle Beucke","date":"August 14, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"California Pest Rating Profile for Pomacea canaliculata (Lamarck): Channeled apple\u00a0 \u00a0snail Pest Rating: B Comment Period:\u00a008\/14\/2025 \u2013 09\/28\/2025 Download Pest Rating Profile *NOTE You must be registered and logged in to post a comment. If you have registered and have not received the registration confirmation, please contact us at permits[@]cdfa.ca.gov.\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;B-Rated&quot;","block_context":{"text":"B-Rated","link":"https:\/\/blogs.cdfa.ca.gov\/Section3162\/?cat=670"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":1708,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.cdfa.ca.gov\/Section3162\/?p=1708","url_meta":{"origin":1957,"position":3},"title":"A Semi-Slug  |  Parmarion martensi (Simroth)","author":"Jason Leathers","date":"March 9, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"California Pest Rating for A Semi-Slug\u00a0 |\u00a0 Parmarion martensi (Simroth) Gastropoda: Helicarionidae Pest Rating: A PEST RATING PROFILE Initiating Event: Parmarion martensi has been intercepted by CDFA and presently has a temporary \u201cQ\u201d rating.\u00a0 A pest rating proposal is required to determine a permanent pest rating. History & Status: Background:\u00a0\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Gastropoda&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Gastropoda","link":"https:\/\/blogs.cdfa.ca.gov\/Section3162\/?cat=294"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":4226,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.cdfa.ca.gov\/Section3162\/?p=4226","url_meta":{"origin":1957,"position":4},"title":"Banded Wood Snail  |  Cepaea nemoralis","author":"Dean Kelch","date":"November 7, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"California Pest Rating for Banded Wood Snail\u00a0 |\u00a0 Cepaea nemoralis Gastropoda: Helicidae \u00a0 Pest Rating: A PEST RATING PROFILE Initiating Event: Cepaea nemoralis is frequently intercepted by CDFA. A pest rating proposal is required to support its permanent pest rating. History & Status: Background: Cepaea nemoralis, known as the banded\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Gastropoda&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Gastropoda","link":"https:\/\/blogs.cdfa.ca.gov\/Section3162\/?cat=294"},"img":{"alt_text":"BANDED WOOD SNAIL","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.cdfa.ca.gov\/Section3162\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/cepaea_nemor_mi1-300x300.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":409,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.cdfa.ca.gov\/Section3162\/?p=409","url_meta":{"origin":1957,"position":5},"title":"Cuban Brown Snail  |  Zachrysia provisoria (Pfeiffer)","author":"Jason Leathers","date":"March 16, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"California Pest Rating for Cuban Brown Snail\u00a0 |\u00a0 Zachrysia provisoria (Pfeiffer) Gastropoda: Pleurodontidae Pest\u00a0Rating: A PEST RATING PROFILE Initiating Event: Zachrysia provisoria is frequently intercepted by CDFA and is presently assigned a temporary rating of \u201cQ\u201d. A pest rating proposal is required to assign a permanent pest rating. History &\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Snails and Slugs&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Snails and Slugs","link":"https:\/\/blogs.cdfa.ca.gov\/Section3162\/?cat=6"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.cdfa.ca.gov\/Section3162\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1957","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.cdfa.ca.gov\/Section3162\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.cdfa.ca.gov\/Section3162\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.cdfa.ca.gov\/Section3162\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1117"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.cdfa.ca.gov\/Section3162\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1957"}],"version-history":[{"count":42,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.cdfa.ca.gov\/Section3162\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1957\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":14176,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.cdfa.ca.gov\/Section3162\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1957\/revisions\/14176"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.cdfa.ca.gov\/Section3162\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/2001"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.cdfa.ca.gov\/Section3162\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1957"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.cdfa.ca.gov\/Section3162\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1957"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.cdfa.ca.gov\/Section3162\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1957"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}