Deputy Mayor of Tallinn Kalle Klandorf urged the townspeople and district councils to “fight with all their might” against the spread of an invasive (that is, alien) species of garden pests – the so-called red Spanish slug (Latin name Arion) – across the outskirts of the Estonian capital. This species is known as the “roadside slug” (which hints at its propensity for expansion). In just the last two weeks of July, Tallinn activists managed to collect several hundred kilograms (!) Of these voracious land molluscs in gardens and parks.
Spanish slugs are large (up to 18 cm) and pose a great danger to plants. Most likely, the agency Delfi reports, the pest entered Estonia with imported fruits. This is understandable if only because it is seen primarily in the capital and in the surrounding area, for example, in the popular Kadriorg Park, although it is spreading further. Warm winters contributed to the easy acclimatization of the slug in Estonia.
Tallinn gardeners report that the usual pellets for fighting snails against this alien species are ineffective, and larger ones can poison beneficial animals (for example, hedgehogs). The relevant services of St. Petersburg and the Leningrad Region should take a closer look at the experience of their Estonian colleagues, especially since the Spanish slug has already been seen in our country and even in Moscow. The climate of St. Petersburg and Tallinn is similar, and if the gluttonous pest multiplies “according to the Estonian scenario”, it will cause no less damage to gardens and parks.