How to tell you have them
Silvery slime trails on walkways, pool decks and walls, and ragged holes chewed in leaves, seedlings, hibiscus flowers and strawberries, are the signs. Both feed at night and after rain, and hide by day under pots, boards, mulch and dense ground cover. Florida has many species, including the small Asian tramp snail and several leatherleaf slugs that feed on ornamental plants.
What they damage
They chew holes in leaves, flowers, fruit and seedlings, and leave slime on paving and screens. They can also carry rat lungworm, a parasite that can make people sick, so wear gloves when handling them and wash garden produce well.
What treatment looks like
Moisture control comes first: water in the morning rather than the evening, thin out dense ground cover near the house, and remove boards, pots and debris they hide under. We treat the foundation perimeter, the landscape beds next to the house and the hiding spots with a labeled snail and slug bait, placed in beds and under cover rather than scattered on open lawn. Hand-picking at night with a flashlight and gloves works well in small gardens.
How long it takes
Damage slows within a week or two, and repeat treatments through the rainy season keep their numbers down.
Florida notes
The giant African land snail, a large invasive snail with a cone-shaped shell that can reach about eight inches, has been found in Florida more than once, and the state has worked to eradicate it each time. If you see one, do not handle it with bare hands: report it to the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. Snail and slug control around the house is covered on every plan, starting with Quarterly.