THE SPOTTED GARDEN SLUG. 7 



DEVELOPMENT. 



The writer has found freshly deposited egg masses at all times 

 irom spring until fall. In a greenhouse or other structure which is 

 heated during the cold months the females deposit their eggs the 

 ye:!!' round. 



The incubation period varies with the temperature and moisture. 

 In an atmosphere of from 60 to 70 F. the eggs hatch in about 28 

 days, but if the temperature is higher the young will appear in a 

 shorter time. 



The young slugs develop slowly, feeding very little in the younger 

 stages. In 30 days they attain a length of about an inch. This 

 growth, however, depends upon the abundance of food and upon 

 the weather conditions. The slug is capable of living on very little 

 food, but during such times growth is slow. 



The exact time required by the animal to attain full growth is 

 not known, but slugs held in captivity and reared from eggs made a 

 growth of 2 inches in six months. These slugs were reared in a 

 greenhouse and were supplied with an abundance of food. 



HIBERNATION. 



The spotted garden slug undoubtedly spends the winter below the 

 frost line in the ground, in drain pipes, cellars, greenhouses, and pits, 

 on well walls, and along foundations. The writer has never found any 

 during the colder winter months in exposed places, such as under 

 boards, or in any of the old haunts of summer. Slugs which were 

 exposed to a temperature below freezing soon succumbed. 



NATURAL ENEMIES. 



Among the slug's few natural enemies is the common toad. 

 HOW TO ABATE THE SLUG NUISANCE. 



ARSENICALS PARTIALLY EFFECTIVE. 



Owing to its habit of feeding by night and concealing itself dur- 

 ing the day, the spotted garden slug is very difficult to control. It 

 will avoid food of a coarse nature. 



The application of arsenicals to the plant is impractical, chiefly 

 because attack is local and the creatures avoid most poisoned sub- 

 stances. The use of poisoned baits is not entirely satisfactory because 

 of the slowness of the slug to change its diet unless this becomes 

 necessary to prevent starvation. The methods of control to be used 

 vary according to the location in which the slugs feed and the nature 

 of the food plant. In mushroom beds it is not practical to employ 

 a poisoned bait because the slug prefers fungi to all other foods. 



Where large plants are being injured poisoned baits may be em- 

 ployed with fair results. For this purpose baked or boiled white 

 potatoes sprinkled with white arsenic have been found effective. 

 This bait should be placed so that one potato will be in about 2 

 square feet of the affected area. Inferior potatoes are quite as use- 

 ful as sound ones, and large tubers or roots should be sliced. 



