Salt kills slugs because it draws water out of their bodies through a process called osmosis, causing rapid dehydration and death within minutes. Slugs depend heavily on maintaining high water content in their bodies, and salt disrupts this balance by pulling water through their permeable skin. This loss of water through the slug's skin due to the salt concentration outside causes them to shrivel and die from dehydration.
Explanation of the Process
- Slugs have very moist, permeable skin essential for their survival.
- When salt is applied, it creates a high concentration of salt outside the slug.
- Water inside the slug moves out through the skin to equalize the salt concentration (osmosis).
- This water loss dries out the slug's body rapidly, leading to death.
Additional Details
- The slug reacts by trying to excrete mucus to remove the salt but cannot prevent dehydration.
- This effect is inhumane and not recommended for slug control because it causes suffering.
- Humans do not suffer this effect because our skin is less permeable compared to slugs' skin.
