Knowing what slugs eat will make it a lot easier to control their numbers. Usually, the main reason for slug infestations tends to happen due to too much available food, as soon as you remove their main food source, their numbers will go down significantly.
Slugs eat decaying organic matter, composts and organic mulches are good food sources for them due to the abundance of decaying organic matter. Slugs will also eat sick or dying plants and some healthy ones that have no defense against slugs, like Dahlias for example. In addition to this, slugs will also eat feces, and other dead snails, as they are jam packed with nutrients.
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No matter what method you are using when trying to get rid of slugs you will have to remove as much of their food as possible, this way you will have a lot easier time managing their numbers. The problem is that slugs tend to eat almost anything that is dead and decaying, so you will have to look closely at your garden. The bigger your garden is the more available food there will be, thus getting rid of the slugs will be a lot harder.
Once you have figured out what the slug’s primary food source is in your garden, simply remove it and then think about what kind of method you will use to get rid of or deter the slugs from eating your plants. You can actually stop slugs from climbing up your plants with copper rings, for more information check out my recent article Copper Slug Rings ( Do They Work? ).
What Do Slugs Eat?
Slugs are voracious feeders and have a wide-ranging diet, which includes both living and decaying plant matter. They can cause significant damage to various garden plants, vegetables, fruits, flowers, and even seedlings. Slugs are particularly attracted to tender leaves, stems, and shoots, consuming them and leaving behind a trail of slime. They are known to target plants with succulent foliage and are particularly fond of lettuce, hostas, strawberries, marigolds, and basil, among others.
Slugs are also known to feed on decaying organic matter and can be found in compost piles or areas with moist, decomposing vegetation. Additionally, slugs have been known to feed on fungi, algae, and even other slugs.
Decaying Organic Matter
Slugs eat decaying organic matter, which can be anything from plants to dead slugs. Slugs actually perform a vital role in the garden by eating the decaying organic matter, they are like small recycling centers. Although you will probably not be able to get rid of all the decaying organic matter from your garden, but if you have huge piles of it, then you should definitely get rid of it.
Compost
Most gardeners will have a small compost pile in one of the corners of their garden, usually made out of dead leaves, twigs, and a lot of cut grass. Even if you do not have a compost pile, you still probably have a pile of decaying plant matter. A compost pile is an ideal food source for slugs, it has everything they need, plenty of decaying organic matter, and a lot of space where they can hide, eat and easily reproduce. If you want to know how copper deters slugs then check out my recent article Copper For Slugs ( Does It Really Work? ).
Sick Or Dying Plants
Slugs will usually target plants that are sick or dying, this is why when one of your plants is struggling it usually gets killed off by the slugs. Sick or dying plants have little to no protection against slugs, and very few of them will actually survive if the slugs also go for them. On the other hand, the slugs can act like a gardener, chopping off all the sick parts which allow the plant to focus on new growth.
Healthy Plants
Slugs seem to be attracted to certain plants even if they are mature and healthy ones. Usually, these plants have never developed any kind of defense against the slugs, thus making them an easy target for them. Dahlias for example tend to be eaten alive by slugs, even if there is plenty of decaying organic matter in the garden, the slugs will usually go straight for the Dahlias. You can actually stop slugs from climbing up into pots with Vaseline, for more information check out my recent article Vaseline To Stop Slugs ( Simple & Effective ).
Fresh Sprouts
During the early days of spring, plants that tend to die back to the ground during the winter will start to sprout. During this period the plants are at their most vulnerable, they are basically defenseless against slugs. As there is very little food to go around during the spring, the slugs will try to eat the fresh sprouts. The good news is that a lot of perennial plants will not be bothered by the slugs while sprouting.
The bad news is that sensitive plants like Dahlias will have no defense, and the slugs will eat the fresh spouts, this is why you might have planted 20-30 dahlia tubers and only 2-3 came up, the rest had their sprouts eaten off until the tubers could not sprout anymore and eventually just rot away.
Flowers
Although usually slugs tend to eat dead or decaying organic matter, they will also eat flowers. The flowers of all plants are jam packed with nutrients, and the slugs love them. The good news is that not all flowers will be viewed as a food source by the slugs, like roses for example. On the other hand, plants with large flowers like Dahlias for example will have their flowers eaten if the slugs can get to them.
Leaves
Slugs tend to eat the tender parts of most plants, these are the leaves and the flowers. Usually, slugs will stay away from healthy leaves, although they will eat the healthy leaves of most annual plants. If the leaves are damaged or have already fallen off the plant, then slugs will eat them. If a partial shade loving plant is planted in full sun, then its leaves will sooner or later be damaged, and the slugs will have no problem eating them.
Earthworms
Earthworms are very beneficial for all gardens, but they are also a valuable source of protein for the slugs as well. Slugs will happily eat any earthworms they come across, and they will attempt to eat them no matter how large they are. Slugs and earthworms tend to come out of their hiding spots during or right after a rain, during this time the slugs will eat both earthworms and plants as well.
Slug And Insect Eggs
Insect and slug eggs are filled with protein, and they also contain valuable nutrients. Although it is not known if the slugs will seek out these eggs but if they come across them they will eat them. Slugs tend to be very opportunistic, they tend to eat relatively close to their hiding spots, usually, these hiding spots are used by other slugs and insects as well, so it is inevitable that some of these eggs will get eaten.
Roots
Although roots are not a favorite meal source for most slugs, but they will not shy away from eating them during some periods of time. Usually in dry summers, where there is no moisture on the surface of the topsoil most of the slugs will stay in their hiding spots or underground. During this time they will still need to feed, and if they have access to some roots they will go for it.
Slugs usually eat the roots of plants that have shallow roots, and if the roots are also rotting then it is even better for them.
Slugs
Leopard slugs are native to Australia, and these slugs eat other slugs. Leopard slugs usually don’t even bother with decaying organic matter, they go out and hunt other slugs. Although they are native to Australia they have a tendency to show up in areas where the climate tends to be rather hot. The leopard slugs are fairly easy to identify due to their spots, so if you see them in your garden then don’t bother them as they are an effective way of controlling the number of slugs that feed on your plants.
Dead Slugs
As slugs are opportunistic feeders, which means that they will eat anything that they come across, this also means other dead slugs. Dead slugs tend to produce a foul odor, which attracts other slugs, and at this point, they basically recycle the dead ones. Keep in mind that this behavior depends on how much food is available, most slugs will probably not go out of their way to feed on a dead one.
Stem Of The Plants
Under certain circumstances, slugs will eat the stem of some plants. Plants that have a wood stem are safe as the slugs will not be able to eat them. On the other hand, plants that tend to have fragile stems like petunias, for example, are a good food source for the slugs.
Eggshells
Eggshells are probably one of the most disastrous home remedies against slugs, usually, it does more harm than good. Slugs need calcium in order to grow, this is especially true for snails which need a lot more of it as their shell is mostly made out of calcium. Calcium can be found in very small amounts in some plants, and this usually is not enough for the slugs so they go actively searching for a source of calcium, and the eggshells provide plenty of it.
Fungi
Slugs love eating fungi, and if your garden tends to have a lot of fungi then I have bad news for you. Slugs will not eat all types of fungi, there are a few ones they love like milk caps, while they only eat others during different development stages of the fungi. Some fungi get eaten by the slugs at early development, and you might not even know the abundance of fungi in your garden because they get eaten by them.
Grass
Although grass isn’t the slug’s favorite meal, they will still eat it if there is nothing better to find. Slugs will eat both cut grass and lawn grass as well, although you will rarely notice the damage they do to the lawn as they tend to wander off to find other food sources. Cut grass on the other hand is often eaten by slugs, no matter if you leave the cut grass on the lawn or if you pile it on the compost pile.
Feces
Slugs do not have a strong digestive system, this is why they prefer decaying organic matter as it is already pre digested for them. Slugs will not shy away from eating feces, in fact, feces are jam packed with nutrients that they will otherwise not be able to find like protein, vitamins, and calcium. So if you have dogs, and you let them do their thing in the garden, and you don’t pick them up then slugs will most likely eat them.
Beer
Slugs love beer, although they are actually attracted by yeast, so anything with yeast will be a good food source for them. This is the main problem with the popular beer traps against slugs, while some of them will fall in and die, but the vast majority of them will get a good drink and then just wander off. Basically, you are feeding the slugs with beer and hoping that some of them will drown, while the truth is that only a fraction of them will.
Vegetables
Vegetables are an excellent food source for slugs, this is why you should try to protect them before their numbers get too high. Slugs will eat vegetables that are still on the plant and the ones that have already fallen off. If a couple of vegetables start to rot then this will attract a lot of slugs and snails. If you tend to have a lot of slugs in your vegetable garden then make sure to remove all the decaying vegetables.
Fruits
Slugs will eat most types of fruits, especially if they are damaged or already rotting. Fruits that have already started to ferment will attract slugs, and they will eat them in a matter of days. However, if you have a lot of fermenting fruits in your garden then you will definitely see an increase in the number of slugs, and as soon as they run out of food they will go for the plants.
Mulches
Mulches that are made of organic matter will be eaten by slugs, especially if the mulch is allowed to rot. Mulches like green grass clippings and green leaves will be eaten by slugs, and their population will increase significantly. You can still use these organic mulches without the slugs eating them, but you will need to dry them out, slugs will rarely eat dry leaves and grass.
Key Takeaways
- Slugs eat decaying organic matter, compost, sick or dying plants, some healthy plants, fresh sprouts, flowers, leaves, earthworms, slug and insect eggs, roots, dead slugs, stems of plants, eggshells, fungi, grass, feces, beer, vegetables, fruits, and even mulches.
- Eggshells should not be used to stop slugs from climbing up plants because they will eat the eggshells.
- Slugs can and will eat feces.