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The fate of deroceras reticulatum following metaldehyde poisoning

Lookup NU author(s): Amy Campbell, Dr Neil AudsleyORCiD, Dr Gordon Port

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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0).

Abstract

© 2021 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.The concentration of a pesticide used in agriculture not only has implications for effectiveness of pest control but may also have significant wider environmental consequences. This research explores the acceptability of metaldehyde slug pellets at different concentrations by Deroceras reticula-tum (Müller, 1774) (Agriolimacidae), and the changes in the health status of the slug when allowed to recover. The highest metaldehyde concentration (5%) yielded the highest slug mortality; however, it also produced the highest proportion of unpoisoned slugs, suggesting the highest level of pellet rejection. Pellets with 1% metaldehyde were as effective as 3% pellets in paralysing a significant proportion of the population after initial pellet exposure; however, more slugs were able to recover from metaldehyde poisoning at 1% metaldehyde compared with 3%. There was no statistically significant difference between the mortality rate of slugs regardless of metaldehyde concentration, suggesting that a lower concentration of metaldehyde may be as effective as a higher concentration.

Publication metadata

Author(s): Campbell A, Audsley N, Port G

Publication type: Article

Publication status: Published

Journal: Insects

Year: 2021

Volume: 12

Issue: 4

Online publication date: 13/04/2021

Acceptance date: 10/04/2021

Date deposited: 17/05/2021

ISSN (electronic): 2075-4450

Publisher: MDPI AG

URL: https://doi.org/10.3390/insects12040344

DOI: 10.3390/insects12040344

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