Snails - The Slow and Silent Nuisance

Snails may seem like harmless creatures, and often they are, but many homeowners find the need to avail of snail control services when the infestation gets out of control. This may not be the first thing that comes to mind when you think of common professional pest control services, but it’s probably a lot more common than you think. These mysterious and interesting little creatures can become nuisances when their numbers are too large, and there are many reasons why they should be controlled and removed when this happens. Property owners throughout Riverside, Temecula, Murrieta, Fallbrook, Escondido, San Marcos, Hemet, Lake Elsinore and Menifee have faced major devastation due to snails – don’t let this happen to you.

What are Snails?

Snails are closely related so slugs, and have a fascinating reproductive process involving “love darts” that they shoot out to other snails to get things going – and they have many options because all snails have both male and female reproductive organs! Many species of snail are typified by their strange tongues that are covered in thousands of very tiny teeth that rip algae and plants into digestible pieces for them to eat. They move slowly, as most people know, and they thrive on vegetation. Though interesting to observe, they can also bring some harmful consequences with them.

The Potential Dangers of Snails

Snails can cause several problems around your property. They may move slowly, but when you get a big group of them together they can eat up vegetation very quickly. Snails in garden environments and agricultural plots can easily reduce the sustainability of the crops, which is a big disappointment after all the hard work that goes into making a garden successful. Snails and slugs like to eat fruit, leaves, roots and stems, so farmers can find them to be a big nuisance. They are also carriers for parasites such as lung-worm, which is a big concern for dog owners. While over the counter snail repellent products are often readily available, they are also often harmful to cats and dogs, which is why handling snail and slug problems without professional help is not typically recommended for homeowners.

What to Do When Snails Get out of Control

If you are facing serious snail and/or slug problems in the Temecula and Murrieta areas, you can call Black Knight Termite and Pest Control, which is known as a leader in pest control services in the region. Starting at only $79 for a piece of land between 8,000 and 10,000 square feet, Black Knight technicians can provide two different treatments, or this service can be added to an existing pest control plan for as little as $15. Technicians will perform a comprehensive inspection, determine the appropriate treatment plant, water the property to draw snails and slugs out the night before performing the treatment, personally pick up and remove as many snails and slugs by hand as possible, and install snail/slug baits as appropriate. This is the best way to handle this sticky situation.