Study: Worms are Eating Slug Bait

Worms in the Pacific Northwest are behind the disappearance of field pesticides used to control voracious slugs that destroy crops. Scientists in the USDA Agricultural Research Service found that worms approach slug bait pellets the same way they approach all other potential food sources, and 20 percent of the time ate it on the spot. Oregon producers currently apply around 10 pounds of slug bait per acre two to five times a year to more than 185,000 acres of grass seed fields. Since much of the bait in pellet form is quickly consumed by worms, researchers believe it might be more cost-effective to apply the more expensive granular and liquid bait, which the worms typically ignore. Read more.