The tiger snail: the snail you actually want in your garden
A garden full of slugs : no gardener is happy about it. But don't be fooled if you encounter a tiger snail: you do want one in your garden. Read on to find out why.
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How about a snail that's actually welcome in your garden? The tiger slug is less harmful to your garden and your plants. Because although it also eats plants and dead plant matter, it also eats other snails. In other words, this snail reduces the snail population in your garden. The tiger slug is also called the giant earth snail or Limax maximus . With this friend in your garden, you can expect a lot less gnawed plants.
This striped slug is easy to recognize. You can recognize it by its print. Although its name suggests it's a tiger print, we at the editorial office think it looks more like a panther print. In English, the slug is also called a leopard slug . Take a good look at the photo above: what do you think?
The tiger snail is originally a true forest dweller, but it's now also common in gardens. You often find it in sheds, especially if there's cat and dog food there. It can grow quite large there! Release it in a spot where snails are a frequent problem, and it can feast there.
No, the tiger snail is not poisonous. It poses no danger to either humans or pets. Sometimes they do carry parasites that can be harmful to humans, but you have to eat the snail raw first. We assume this isn't a realistic scenario for you.
Not only the tiger slug is an excellent garden guest, but also common snails, such as the black-edged garden snail ( Capaea nemoralis ) pictured above. These and countless other small snails pose little problem and not only help reduce unwanted plants with their infrequent feeding, they are also a favorite food source for garden birds such as thrushes.
The biggest culprits are certain species of (large) slugs, such as the Spanish slug ( Arion vulgaris ), and especially the well-known garden slug ( Cornu aspersum ). The latter is apparently also perfectly edible, for those who enjoy it...
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