The killer snails are having a tough time this year.
– They are significantly fewer than they could have been, says snail expert Ted von Proschwitz at Gothenburg’s Natural History Museum.
The weather during the month of May is often decisive for whether it will be a snail year or not. This year May was a dry month and that means fewer snails.
– It is connected with the life cycle of the snail. They overwinter as young animals and they are more sensitive to drought, says Ted von Proschwitz.
Now it has started to rain after the long dry season and then the snails come out.
– They must have had a difficult time. They are quite small and they are significantly fewer than they could have been, notes von Proschwitz.
What happens now is that the snails start laying eggs. And for those who want to prevent the snails from multiplying, it is necessary to, literally, be “on the cutting edge”.
– Go out in the garden at night with a flashlight and see where the snails are and where they are hiding. Bring a shovel with a sharp edge and cut off the snail’s head about half a centimeter into the body. There will be many cuts, but consider that each killed snail means that it cannot lay upwards of 400 eggs. Don’t give up, says von Proschwitz and advises that there are also poisons, traps and electric fences to fight the snails with.