As an agriculturist or local farmer, when a farm is attacked or invaded by insects, an insecticide is used, fungicides against fungi, and herbicides against herbs.
Also, molluscicide is used when crops are eaten or attacked by mollusks or molluscs.
Before diving into what this pesticide category is for, let us first answer the question: what is a Mollusk?
Mollusca is known to be the second largest phylum of invertebrate animals after the Arthropoda.
Molluscs and Mollusks are members of Mollusca. Below are some quick facts about a mollusk.
Profile
- Kindom: Animalia
- Scientific Names: Mollusca
- Subphylum: Caudofoveates, Solanogastres, Chitons, Monoplacophorans, Scaphopods, Bivalves, Gastropods, Cephalopods.
- Common names: Mollusks or Molluscs
- Basic Animal Group: Invertebrates
- Size: Microscopic to 45 feet in length
- Weight: Up to 1650 pounds
- Lifespan: Hours to Centuries (the oldest is known to have lived 500years)
- Diet: Mostly herbivores except for cephalopods, who are omnivores
- Habitat: Terrestrial and aquatic habitats on every continent and ocean in the world
- Conservation Status: Several species are either threatened or endangered; one is extinct
About 85,000 species of mollusks are known. Molluscs are the largest marine phylum, comprising about 23% of all the named marine organisms.
Many under the mollusk family live in freshwater and terrestrial habitats. Their size, anatomical structures, behavior, and habitat are highly diverse.
The phylum is sub-divided into 8 to 9 families, of which two are entirely extinct, ‘Cephalopod’ mollusks such as squid, cuttlefish, and octopuses are the most neurologically advanced in all invertebrates, while the ‘Gastropod’ sare by far the most numerous mollusks and account for 80% of the total classified species; snails and land slugs are under this group.
Molluscicide
A pesticide is an overall term for any chemical substance used to kill or eradicate unwanted animals, insects, plants, or other organisms.
While herbicides and insecticides usually dominate most conversations concerning pesticides used in relation to large-scale agriculture, they are sometimes used for domestic or commercial purposes.
Other targeted pesticide types include nematicides, rodenticides, avicides, etc. As stated earlier in this article, each term refers to a pesticide targeted at a specific animal or group of animals.
Molluscicides, also known as snail pellets, snail baits, or slug pellets, are pesticides used against mollusks. They are usually used in agriculture or gardening to control gastropod pests, specifically slugs and snails. They are well known by farmers and gardeners as some of the most annoying and destructive pests.
They can destroy many plants’ leaves and fruits- old plants and young sprouts.
According to the University of California Integrated Pest Management Program, “Slugs and Snails feed on various living plants and decaying plant matter.”
They continued by stating that; “They chew irregular holes with smooth edges in leaves and flowers and can clip succulent plant parts. They also can chew fruits and young plant barks because they prefer succulent foliage or flowers. They primarily are pests of seedlings and herbaceous plants, but they also are serious pests of ripening fruits close to the ground, such as tomatoes and strawberries. They also feed on foliage and fruit of some trees; citrus is especially affected.”
Luckily, these snails and land slugs are easily detectable by the silvery trails of dried mucus they leave behind by their foot. When farmers and gardeners spot the telltale signs and damages left behind by the mollusks (snail and slug), they know it is time to turn to a molluscicide for assistance.
How Does Molluscicide Work?
Biochemical engineers of the U.S. Army Corps explained that various molluscicides typically have similar modes of action.
A molluscicide chemical, when touched or ingested by the slugs or snails, manipulates the water balance of the pest.
By affecting the amount of water in the mollusk, the molluscicide puts the slugs or snails on the path to organ failure and inhibits healthy body functions.
There are two forms of chemical molluscicides they include;
- Oxidizing molluscicides
- Non-oxidizing molluscicides
Oxidizing Molluscicides
Oxidizing molluscicide compounds can be used against snail and slug infestations, chlorine, chlorine dioxide, chloramines, ozone, bromine, hydrogen peroxide, and potassium permanganate are some oxidizing compounds used as molluscicides.
Non-oxidizing Molluscicides
Non-oxidizing is among the most popular because it is the most cost-efficient. Although expensive in small quantities, non-oxidizing molluscicides are more effective in these doses.
Some of the most common non-oxidizing molluscicides include Quaternary and polyquaternary ammonium compounds, aromatic hydrocarbons, Endothall as the mono salt, metals like copper sulfate and their salts, iron (II) phosphate, aluminum sulfate, and ferric sodium.
Precautions in Using Molluscicide
Accidental Poisoning
Metal salt-based molluscicides are not toxic to higher animals. However, metaldehyde-based and especially acetylcholinesterase inhibitor-based products are highly toxic and have resulted in the death of both pets and humans.
Some products contain a bittering agent that reduces but does not eliminate the risk of accidental poisoning.
Aside from slugs and snails in the garden or on a farm, mollusks can also harm commercial and industrial businesses in bodies of water.
Mollusks can clog pipes, damage equipment, and cost businesses significant money in lost efficiency. These businesses affected by this infestation often turn to molluscicides to eliminate these pests and keep business rolling.
However, various environmental and health factors must be considered to avoid widespread pollution in the waterways.
Summary
Molluscicides are chemicals (of synthetic or biological origin) that are used primarily to kill various species of mollusks, including the common land snail and slug, which attack crops and a wide range of plants (both young and old), feeding on the leaves, fruits, and sprouts.
While some chemicals that serve as molluscicides are safe around pets and humans, others can harm humans’ health. So extreme caution should be exercised when choosing a chemical to serve as a Molluscicide to be used as a pesticide on the farm or garden.
