What kind of snails are these and how do I get rid of them

Question

I have a lot of very tiny snails in my large vegetable garden, and throughout the year they do a lot of damage to my vegetables. So far, products such as Bug-Getta do not seem to work (at least that is my impression, since after spreading it out I still see these guys and they continue to eat holes in the leaves of my vegetables).

Below you will see a picture of some of the samples I have collected. There's a dime there for size reference. The large one in the picture is the largest that I have seen so far. As a result, I do not believe that these are baby snails. I think they are all mature.

Any ideas for how I can control this pest? The "beer in a saucer" approach doesn't seem like a feasible tack.

For reference, I live just outside Houston, Texas. We garden all year long.

Answer 1

These are pretty common garden snails, not completely sure of species (I suspect Theba sp.). Some people have success with "barriers" such as surrounding the targeted plants with diatomaceous earth. Best of luck!

Answer 2

If a grainy bait like Bug-Getta is not working, you may not be using it to the best advantage.

It must be spread thinly, it must draw the snails away from the plant, and it is best placed between the dining room (your plants) and the bedroom (some wet place on the north side where peppermint grows) where they sleep at night.

No harm in also spraying leaves they like with soapy water, especially the undersides. Weekly.