ON THE SAFE USE OF PESTICIDES IN CONTROLLING THE TERRESTRIAL MOLLUSK PESTS

The preferred food items of the slugs Laevicaulis alte and the snails Achatina fulica were used to prepare 'poison baits' by injecting the p esticides 'Rogor' and 'Nuvan' to kill these mollusc pests. The 'poison baits' prepared with Trichosanthes dioica and Lycopersicum esculentum were accepted by 100% individuals of both the species irrespective of the pesticides used. In all cases the slug and snail individuals died within a considerable length of time following consumption of the bai t The importance of using 'poison bait' lies not only with the sure su ccess in killing the pests but also with the 'safe use' of toxic mater ials in order to avoid environmental hazards.