Integrated Pest Management
Brown Garden Snail
Cornu aspersum
Pest Description
- ~1 1/3 inches long; whorled brown shell with orangish, tan and black markings
- immatures are smaller versions of the adults
- eggs are round, pearly white and laid in the soil
Host Plants, Diet & Damage
- many; boxwood, rose, hibiscus, and peach commonly damaged
primarily chew on the foliage of host plants - may cause minor damage to twigs and branches
Biology, Life Cycle & Damaging Life Stage
- overwinter within shell around plantings
- become active in the spring, mate and lay eggs
- snails take 2 to 3 years to reach maturity
- mostly active at night
- immatures and adults are damaging
IPM Recommendations
- Control is difficult; manage numbers below threshold.
- Minimize soil moisture; increase time between watering.
- Choose resistant plants.
- Eliminate habitat that promotes protection and moisture.
- Handpick snails from vegetation.
- Use barriers such as copper strips.
- Use baited and unbaited traps to catch and remove or kill snails.
- Apply snail baits (iron phosphate; metaldehyde; sodium ferric EDTA; sulfur).
For more information, see our Controlling Slugs and Snails in Utah fact sheet.