It can actually be quite challenging to tell that you have a slug problem. You sit out in your garden all day long and don’t see a single slug. You head to bed but wake up to a garden decimated by slugs. So where do slugs go during the day?
During the day, slugs like to hide in dark and damp places. They do not enjoy being out in the sun which can actually be dangerous for them.
During the day, you will not see slugs because they hide from the sun. Slugs are, in general, nocturnal animals that come out to look for food during the night.
Where Do Slugs Hide During the Day?
Slugs do not like to be in hot and dry weather. These garden pests avoid hot places because it puts them at the risk of drying up. Slugs rely a lot on moisture. This is why they hide in damp places during the day when the sun is out.
The most common places where slugs hide include under pots, inside foliage or amongst garden debris. Slugs will also use garden equipment as a hiding spot, especially if it has been stored down the side of a shed, for example.
Many mulches can attract slugs too. Generally, natural mulch is wet and damp which is the perfect place for a slug to hang out before it heads out at night to attack your plant.s
Unlike snails, slugs also benefit from having no shell that needs to squeeze into tight spaces. Slugs will bend and contort their bodies to hide amongst rocks, between cracks in a wall or under log piles.
You will not see many slugs during peak summer months because they burrow and hide underground to stay safe from the sun. However, as soon as the weather turns, you will see slugs as they will venture out from underground.
Do Slugs Build Nests?
No, slugs do not specifically build nests in your garden and will happily live anywhere and everything that is damp and dark.
If they can hide themselves during the day in a prime position to grab food then they will but they won’t actually build a nest. They’ll simply use whatever is around them to hide. For example, slugs like to hide under potted plants so that they can visit the plants for food during the night.
If your garden has hiding spots, they immediately become areas where slugs can live and lay their eggs. It is always a good idea to keep your garden clean and avoid the accumulation of mulch, moss and other damp garden debris.
Where Do Slugs Live?
One of the basic things which slugs need to survive is moisture. Slugs are attracted to areas with high moisture and dampness.
Unfortunately, gardens make great spots for slugs to live. A garden has the correct environment to fulfil the slug’s moisture needs. Gardens are full of damp, dark corners and are an endless supply of food – and don’t you know it!
Why Do Slugs Come Out at Night?
Now that you know where slugs go during the day and why, it becomes fairly obvious why slugs come out at night: Because the conditions are perfect for them.
Slugs love damp, moist and cool conditions which are exactly what the evening and nighttime offer them. The dampness allows slugs to glide smoothly throughout your garden without fear of drying out from heat from the sun.
Avoid Watering Your Garden in the Evening
Most people will water their garden at the end of the day. But this will only encourage slugs to come out. You’ll moisten the ground up perfectly for them to glide over. Instead, try to get in the habit of watering in the morning only.
Summary
Knowing that you have a slug infestation can be a challenge. During the day, you may not even see a slug at all. But during the night, they’ll come out to attack your plants and vegetables. But where are slugs going during the day to hide?
Slugs love hiding in dark and damp corners of your garden. This could include under a shed, in a log pile, between rocks, in unused garden pots, under potted plants, in mulch, in vegetation and in the base of a tree.
SLugs are not particularly fussy about where they go to hide, as long as it is out of direct sunlight and damp. This is why it can be a challenge to eradicate all the areas where slugs will hide.
