# Slugs and snails

> Molluscs such as the grey field slug (Deroceras reticulatum) that rasp ragged holes in seedlings and low leaves at night, leaving silvery slime trails.

- Canonical: https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/slugs-and-snails.html
- Also written: slugs, snails, slug, snail, Deroceras reticulatum, grey field slug, gray field slug
- Glossary category: Pests and diseases · Evidence: Established
- Status: Draft: awaiting expert review · Updated: 2026-10-31
- Licence: CC BY-SA 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/), attribute "GenetixBay cannabis glossary"

Slugs and snails are land molluscs (class Gastropoda) that feed with a rasping tongue, the radula. The grey field slug (*Deroceras reticulatum*) is one of the most widespread plant-feeding species. They feed at night or in wet weather and hide under mulch, boards and pots by day.

## In practice

Damage is ragged holes, chewed [seedlings](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/seedling.md) and shredded low leaves, plus shiny dried slime trails. They matter most for direct-sown outdoor seedlings and fresh [transplants](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/transplanting.md); established cannabis outgrows them. A night check with a torch after rain confirms the cause. Practical controls are removing hiding places, [drip irrigation](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/drip-irrigation.md) instead of evening overhead watering, [copper](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/copper.md) or abrasive barriers around beds, beer traps and hand-collection. Iron [phosphate](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/phosphate.md) baits are a widely used low-toxicity active ingredient; check what is registered locally. They occasionally hitch into greenhouses on pots set on the ground.

## Don't confuse with

- **Cutworms**: chew stems through at the soil line; no slime.
- **Caterpillars**: leave [frass](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/frass.md) pellets instead of slime.
- **Damping-off**: rotted, pinched stems, no feeding marks.

## Related terms

[Cutworm](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/cutworm.md), [Damping-off](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/damping-off.md), [Sanitation](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/sanitation.md), [Scouting](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/scouting.md)

## Read more

- [Seedling care: the first three weeks](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/germination/seedling-care.md)