01-30-2007, 02:29 AM
The semi slug is a small slug with a partial shell and thus the name. I suppose it could also be called a semi snail.
More info on the slug from http://www.malamaopuna.org/
More info on the slug from http://www.malamaopuna.org/
quote:
ALERT: Semi-slugs (Parmarion martensi) have come to Puna in a herd. They commonly carry rat lung worm nematodes (Angiostrongylus cantonensis) that, if ingested, can cause eosinophilic meningitis. This is characterized by intense headache, painfully stiff neck, muscle spasms and rigidity, joint pain, skin sensitivity and nausea, to name a few. Other snails and slugs are also carriers and have been around for quite some time - the difference is in numbers and that the semi-slugs love to climb and get on everything. Here is a National Insitutes of Infectious Diseases article that includes a photo of the slug and an interesting journal abstract on an outbreak in Okinawa. One way to kill the slugs other than slug bait (and beware some brands are deadly to pets - only get animal friendly brands) is to spoon them into a jar filled with liquid such as alcohol, salt water or vinegar - that way you get rid of the nematode also. A good trap for hunting is thick black plastic. They will be on top of it at night, and if in a shady spot, below in the day. Some people have sprayed liquid copper sulfate solution or Bordeaux mix around water tanks and the base of homes to repel and kill the semi-slug. Be careful not to get the solution into the water supply. Also copper sulfate is not approved for organic farming. As with all pesticides, read warnings and information - copper sulfate.