Biologist warned about the danger of Spanish slugs to humans and animals

The invasion of Spanish slugs, an invasive species capable of causing serious damage to agriculture, has been observed in the Moscow region for the fifth year. Olga Trofimova, Associate Professor of the Department of General Biology and Bioecology at the State University of Education, told Izvestia on May 27 about the features of these invertebrates and the risks associated with them.

According to the expert, Spanish slugs are not poisonous and cannot bite humans, but they pose a different danger. Their mucus may contain pathogenic microorganisms and eggs of parasitic worms. There are cases when contact with such slugs has led to infection with meningitis caused by worms. Special care should be taken when processing vegetables and fruits that may have come into contact with pests. In addition, the mucus secreted by these invertebrates can also cause irritation. Therefore, you should not touch the slugs with your bare hands, and if this happens, you should immediately wash them thoroughly.

Slugs can also be dangerous for pets, which, by accidentally sniffing or licking them, can become infected with parasites.

The biologist noted that slugs are especially active in rainy summers. At temperatures above 10 degrees, they come out of the soil and begin to multiply actively. One individual is able to lay up to 540 eggs per season, which explains their rapid spread. The population peaks in the middle of June and August.

"There are no natural enemies of Spanish slugs in the Moscow region. Therefore, only mechanical collection of this pest is possible — with the help of baits or laying out boards, cartons, pots, under which they like to hide during the day. We can also recommend mulching the soil around the plantings," the specialist suggested.

Earlier, on May 15, an expert of the online hypermarket "All Tools.<url> Maxim Sokolov told Izvestia which fertilizers will improve yields. According to him, one of the most affordable ways to improve the soil is to use compost. This natural fertilizer can be made with your own hands from what usually goes into the trash: food waste, grass, leaves, twigs, eggshells.