---
title: "TECH BULLETIN - Imtrade Metakill Snail & Slug Bait - 220908"
canonical: https://fernland.com.au/documents/656/
dateModified: 2026-07-12 07:54:42
summary: Technical Sheet
type: tech_sheet
---

# TECH BULLETIN - Imtrade Metakill Snail & Slug Bait - 220908

> Technical Sheet

DON’T GET
SLUGGED
IMPROVE YOUR OUTCOME

METAKILL
SNAIL & SLUG BAIT

Re-baiting with inferior products slugs your hip pocket

*   **Increased Encounters** with 100,000 baits per kilogram
*   **High Toxicity** for quick kill with minimum feed
*   **Extended Duration** - Weather tolerant bait ensures maximum protection under staggered emergence situations
*   Imtrade Australia is 100% Australian owned

***

METAKILL
SNAIL & SLUG BAIT

SNAIL FACTS
Snails are becoming an increasing problem in Australian broad acre systems as the move to conservation farming practices (no till, less burning and less tillage) create the ideal habitat for snails. Snails will reduce crop yield by feeding directly on seedlings and plant leaves. Snails need only 1-2mm of rain in late summer to come out of their aestivation (hibernation) phase and move into the crop. Given conditions stay moist and cool they will stay in the crop to feed, with reproduction occurring from April through till September. New research suggests humidity is also a trigger for snail movements and reproduction. Consecutive days above 80% are likely to see snail mating activity commence. Each snail can lay around 400 eggs per season, meaning a fencepost housing 4000 snails (around 30cm of post) will produce 1 million offspring(1). Therefore applying a robust snail bait prior to egg-laying is essential to control snails and prevent crop damage. Metaldehyde is a highly effective option for snail control and works by causing excess mucous secretion and desiccation inhibiting movement and poisons the nervous system.

WHY METAKILL?
*   **HIGHLY RESISTANT** to weathering, does not lose bait integrity under adverse environmental conditions. Prevents most re-baiting situations that are necessary to achieve control when using inferior products.
*   **HIGH-LOADING** bait formulation containing 50 g/kg Metaldehyde
*   **SMALL, COMPACT** pellet suited to most spreading methods by ground or air
*   **OPTIMAL BAIT** points/m² achieved with 100 000 baits/kg
*   **QUALITY** carbohydrate ingredients provide palatability

[Image: Comparison of three bait pellets: IMTRADE METAKILL (50 g/kg Metaldehyde), REFERENCE PRODUCT (50 g/kg Metaldehyde), and INFERIOR COMPETITOR (20 g/kg Metaldehyde) shown against a ruler scale.]

BAIT RATES
Snails will not seek out baits, however they will consume them if they come into contact with them, so it is extremely important to maximise the number of bait points (pellets/m²) within the crop. Imtrade Metakill has a uniform small pellet size which delivers approximately 76 pellets/m². This increases the potential for snails to encounter the bait when they are actively foraging for food.

A study conducted by GRDC (2012) shows a proportional relation of baits/m² versus % snail mortality (Figure1) (1)

Any product under 70 000 baits/kg will not provide sufficient bait points /m² to be effective.

[Chart: Figure 1: Per cent mortality (± Standard Error) of juvenile Italian white snails showing increased mortality with increased number of baits per m² at two snail densities. The X-axis shows "Number of baits per sqm" (0, 20, 40, 60, 80, 100). The Y-axis shows "% Mortality" (30 to 100). Data points for 150 snails/m² and 300 snails/m² show an upward trend in mortality as the number of baits increases.]

IMPORTANT For current application use instructions, always refer to the product label. COPYRIGHT Information contained herein remains the copyright of Imtrade CropScience and cannot be reproduced without the company’s permission. © 2021

(1) Grains Research and Development Corporation, September 2012, “Snail Management Fact Sheet”, pp. 6.
(2)Ref DeGraaf, H, 2012; Effect of size & density of bait pellets on juvenile snail mortality GRDC