Caffeine as a novel toxicant for slugs and snails

In this study, caffeine is shown to act as both a repellent and toxicant against slugs and snails. This research is the first to document the potential of caffeine as a molluscicide. A drench treatment using a 1% or 2% solution of caffeine caused 100% of slugs (Veronicella cubensis) to exit treated soil, and the majority of these slugs subsequently died from caffeine poisoning. A 2% solution of caffeine applied to the growing medium of orchids killed 95% of orchid snails, (Zonitoides arboreus), and gave better control than a liquid metaldehyde product representing the standard commercial control for this pest. Using leaf-dip bioassays, we discovered that slugs tended to avoid feeding on plant material treated with caffeine solutions greater than or equal to0.1%, and caffeine solutions as low as 0.01% significantly reduced overall feeding by slugs. Due to concerns about chemical residues, available molluscicides generally cannot be applied directly to food crops for control of slug and snail pests. Caffeine is a natural product which is approved as a food additive. Therefore, caffeine may prove useful for protecting food crops from slugs and snails.