Why does salt kill slugs?
I guess the more intriguing question is why does salt have the disintegrating reaction that it does? What is it in their chemical makeup that causes them to die when covered in salt? Is it an endothermic reaction that kills them?
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Its not a cruel endothermic reaction. Its a cruel osmotic reaction. The cell membranes of slugs are very porous. When you place salt on the slug, the intraslug salt concentration is much lower than the concentration of salt at the surface. Thus, water moves from insided the slug to outside to create a salt equilibrium. This mass movement of water makes it appear like the slug is “melting” away.
I confirmed this here. Cool question.
when I was little and visited my grandmothers house ALL the time, she had her little salt shakers especially for
killing slugs. Me and my cousins would get so excited about seeing a slug, we’d quickly grab our very own salt-shakers, and watch those suckers die. I don’t know.. Just felt like sharing.
shilolo is right. Osmosis just sucks the water out of them and they die
I thought that was why…I just wondered if there was more too it. I wasn’t having much luck finding info on it (guess I’m not searching correctly). So, thanks for the link @shilolo!!
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| asked May 10th, 2008
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