Development of a High-Throughput Laboratory Bioassay for Testing Potential Attractants for Terrestrial Snails and Slugs

Abstract

Invasive snails and slugs are among the most damaging pests of vegetables, fruits, ornamentals, grains, and forage throughout the world. Current control strategies are focused almost exclusively on molluscicides, which are ineffective under some conditions, and which can have serious nontarget effects. A major aim of this study was to develop a generic high-throughput bioassay method for use in identifying attractants for terrestrial gastropods, with the overall goal of developing attractant-based control methods for pest gastropods. Here, we demonstrate the use of the bioassay method in screening a wide variety of foodstuffs and other possible sources of attractants, using the pest snail Cornu aspersum Müller (Pulmonata, Helicidae) and the pest slug Deroceras reticulatum Müller (Pulmonata, Agriolimacidae) as test animals. Among a large number of food items and previously reported attractants tested, chopped fresh cucumber (Cucumis sativus) was the most attractive substrate for both species. Our results also showed that previous feeding experience influences subsequent food choice to some extent, but regardless of previous feeding experience, chopped cucumber was as attractive or more attractive than any other substrate tested.

Comparative feeding behaviour of native and introduced terrestrial snails tracks their ecological impacts

“…Much of the recent focus on feeding pertains to mechanisms of food detection, particularly olfaction (e.g. Dahirel et al 2015;Kiss 2017;Cordoba et al 2018). To date, only a limited number of studies have addressed functional responses of land snails (see Broekhuizen et al 2002;Haubois et al 2005;Giacoletti et al 2016;Xu et al 2016aXu et al , 2016bPusack et al 2018).…”

Biological control of pestiferous slugs using Tetanocera elata (Fabricius) (Diptera: Sciomyzidae): Larval behavior and feeding on slugs exposed to Phasmarhabditis hermaphrodita (Schneider, 1859)

“…Pestiferous slugs cause damage to a diverse range of agricultural and horticultural crops throughout the world (Askary, 2010;Askary et al, 2017, Cordoba et al, 2018Fritz et al, 2001;South, 2012;Speiser et al, 2001) primarily by feeding directly on the plant (Ester and Trul, 2000;Frank, 1998;Gould, 1961;Jaskulska et al, 2017) and/or as vectors of plant pathogens (Hasan and Vago, 1966). This results in significant economic losses to growers (Willis et al, 2006).…”

Testing Natural Products for Toxicity against Agricultural Pests and Pathogens

“…Molluscs such as slugs and snails are among the most damaging pests found in gardens, are known to cause serious damage to economically important crops and can also act as vectors of animal pathogens (Wilen & Flint, 2018;Le Gall & Tooker, 2017;McDonnell et al, 2018).…”

“…Many aspects of basic ecology of molluscs are poorly understood but, generally molluscs can either be terrestrial or aquatic and are known to be generalist herbivores. They play a crucial role in defining the composition of plant communities and may become invasive species leading to the displacement of native species (Le Gall & Tooker, 2017;McDonnell et al, 2018). A small number of molluscs have been deliberately or accidentally spread worldwide via the horticultural and pet trades, leading to the homogenization of this malacofauna across the planet.…”

“…Since snails and slugs generally prefer succulent foliage or flowers, they are primary pests of seedlings and herbaceous plants (Wilen & Flint, 2018). For example, among terrestrial pests, the European brown garden snail, Cantareus aspersum, is a known pest of citrus trees and horticultural and ornamental crops in Europe, the US, and New Zealand (Cordoba, Millar, & McDonnell, 2018;Le Gall & Tooker, 2017). Meanwhile, the gray field slug, Deroceras reticulatum, is a known pest of most crops in temperate and tropical areas of the world (Cordoba, Pomacea canaliculata, which is on the top 100 list of invasive species responsible for causing devastations in rice and taro fields in addition to other aquatic habitats.…”