Farmers and growers are being advised to prepare for an increased slug threat later this summer after the wettest April on record created ideal conditions for slugs to reproduce.

According to David Glen, an independent slug specialist, the current weather conditions are perfect for slugs.  He said, “April to May is an important peak of the breeding cycle and with conditions as they are slug activity will be very high so populations are primed to increase significantly.”

Slugs present perhaps the most serious threat to field vegetable crops; the Horticultural Development Council (HDC) estimates that slugs cost the sector £8m a year in lost output.

Recent changes in agricultural practice have also provided optimal conditions for the pests, according to Glenn. He said the preference for winter-sown crops, the increased area of oilseed rape and the trend towards lighter cultivation techniques have all helped to swell slug populations over the last 20 years. 

Slugs are resilient creatures capable of surviving harsh environments before breeding rapidly when conditions suit, so growers have been advised to assess the level of slug activity in the run up to harvest and in stubble afterwards to determine the size of the threat to next year’s crop.

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