SlugNet
SlugNet
Slug pressure monitoring project for Wisconsin field crop farmers
Why Monitor Slugs in Wisconsin?
Slugs are increasingly appearing as a potential challenge for Wisconsin growers who use conservation cropping practices. Shifting climate patterns, alongside the increased adoption of reduced tillage and cover crops, suggest that slugs may be finding more favorable environments to thrive.
SlugNet is working to determine how these factors influence pest populations and crop health, helping us improve pest management in Wisconsin’s conservation cropping systems.
Quick Links
Track Pest Pressure on Your Farm
Want to help us track slug pressure? Follow the steps below to join our monitoring network.
Register
Review the project’s background and monitoring protocols.
Register your farm(s) for SlugNet.
Set Up
Fill out a Field History Form for each field you plan to monitor.
Follow our instructions to place the shingle slug traps out in your field.
Report Data
Download our data collection sheet to use while in the field.
Submit final slug counts to the online form each week.
See Results
Check out weekly slug monitoring updates and slug management resources.
Weekly Slug Pressure Reports
The project team shares updates on slug counts from participating counties and observations of feeding damage during the growing season.
Project Support
We are looking for volunteers throughout the state of Wisconsin. The more coverage we have, the better we can understand geographic variations in slug populations and damage risk to crops.
If you are interested in volunteering or have questions, contact Dane Elmquist, UW-Madison Extension Conservation Cropping Outreach Specialist, and Laura Flandermeyer, UW-Madison Extension Pest Management Outreach Specialist.
This project is done in collaboration with the Bick Lab for Original Digital Entomology and with support from the USDA-ARS Dairy Forage Research Center.