The label is the law. Read your product's label before you mix or apply; the rates here come from the labels listed under Sources.
- Active ingredient
- Iron phosphate (ferric phosphate) (CAS 10045-86-0)
- Chemical class
- Inorganic molluscicide made of phosphorus, oxygen and iron.[3]
- Mode of action
- Stomach poison in slugs and snails that damages digestive tissue; the exact mode of action is not clearly understood[1]
- Signal word
- Sluggo / Neudorff Slug and Snail Bait: Caution[2]
How it works
Iron phosphate is a stomach poison in slugs and snails: it damages their digestive tissue, and with enough exposure they stop eating altogether and slowly die.[1]
Getting it to work
The label says the bait works best when soil is moist with little or no standing water, so wet dry ground before applying, scatter evenly, and reapply as the bait is consumed.[2]
Where it is used
The bait is scattered on the soil around or near plants to protect flowers, gardens, vegetables and fruit trees, and the label says it remains effective after rain or sprinkling.[2]
The active ingredient is exempt from a food tolerance when used as a molluscicide on food crops, and the product is OMRI listed for organic production.[2]
Products and registrations
| Product | Registrant | EPA Reg. No. | Active % | Formulation | Signal word |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sluggo / Neudorff Slug and Snail Bait[2] | W. Neudorff GmbH KG | 67702-3 | 1.0% | bait pellets | Caution |
Label rates
| Product | Use | Pests | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sluggo / Neudorff Slug and Snail Bait | Gardens, flowers, vegetables, fruit trees and lawns (scattered on soil) | Slugs and snails | 0.5–1.0 lb per 1,000 sq ft[2] Small areas: 1 level teaspoon (0.15 oz) per square yard. Scatter evenly, do not place in piles, wet dry ground first, and reapply as bait is eaten or at least every two weeks. |
How to apply it, step by step
1. Protective gear
- The label lists no protective gear: it carries a CAUTION for moderate eye irritation, so keep it out of your eyes and off your clothing.[2]
- Wash with soap and water after handling and before eating, drinking or using the toilet.[2]
2. Before you spray
- Slugs and snails travel and feed mostly at night or early morning, so plan to put the bait out in the evening.[2]
- If the ground is dry, wet it first: the bait works best on moist soil with little or no standing water.[2]
- Spread in calm weather when no rain is forecast for 24 hours, and keep it out of storm drains, ditches and gutters.[2]
3. Mixing
- No mixing: the granules go out dry, by hand or with a granular or broadcast spreader.[2]
4. Applying
- Scatter it evenly, never in piles, at 0.5 to 1 lb per 1,000 sq ft, or 1 level teaspoon (0.15 oz) per square yard for small areas; use the higher rate for heavy infestations, heavily watered beds or after long rainy spells.[2]
- Around a vegetable plot, scatter a band around the edge as a barrier; if slugs are already in the rows, scatter it on the soil around the plants and between rows.[2]
- Around ornamentals and seedlings, put it in a 6-inch ring around each plant's base; next to a lawn, put it between the grass and the plants.[2]
- Sweep any granules that land on a driveway, sidewalk or street back onto the treated soil.[2]
5. After you spray
- Slugs and snails stop feeding soon after eating it and die within three to six days, often out of sight, so judge results by less plant damage.[2]
- Reapply as the bait is eaten, or at least every two weeks.[2]
- It may be used up to and including the day of harvest.[2]
First aid
- In the eyes, hold them open and rinse slowly and gently with water for 15 to 20 minutes, removing contact lenses after the first 5 minutes, and call a poison control center or doctor.[2]
- The label's emergency contact is the National Pesticide Information Center, 1-800-858-7378.[2]
Storage, spills and disposal
- Store it in its original container in a secure place out of reach of children and pets, away from water, food and feed.[2]
- Recycle an empty container if you can; for a partly full one, call your local solid waste agency, and never pour product down a drain.[2]
From the safety data sheet
- The bait is white to light brown pellets with a wheat or flour smell, containing iron phosphate, and it is not flammable.[4]
- The SDS uses the signal word Warning: it causes eye irritation and may be harmful if swallowed, in contact with skin or if inhaled.[4]
- If it gets in the eyes, rinse cautiously with water for several minutes, removing contact lenses if that is easy; after skin contact, flush with running water and wash with soap and water.[4]
- Sweep up spills into a container for disposal, and keep runoff out of waterways and sewers.[4]
- Store the closed container in a well-ventilated place at ordinary temperatures, away from excessive heat.[4]
Safety and environmental hazards
People
The label signal word is CAUTION and it causes moderate eye irritation. NPIC describes iron phosphate as very low in toxicity when eaten, though eating too much iron can cause stomach upset, and EPA and FDA did not require cancer studies because iron and phosphate are part of the normal diet.[2][1]
Pets
The label says it can be used around pets and wildlife, but NPIC notes that dogs have become sick after eating large amounts of iron, and it cites a veterinary report of five dogs poisoned by a slug bait containing iron EDTA; store bait out of reach and scatter it thinly rather than in piles.[2][1]
Bees and pollinators
Exposure to bees is unlikely because iron phosphate is applied to soil as granules.[1]
Fish and water
Iron phosphate is practically non-toxic to fish, water fleas and algae, and beetles and earthworms were not affected at twice the allowed amount.[1]
Common questions
- Is iron phosphate slug bait safe for dogs?
- It is much lower in toxicity than metaldehyde-type baits and the label allows use around pets, but NPIC reports dogs have become sick after eating large amounts of iron, so keep the bag away from dogs and scatter pellets thinly.[2][1]
- How fast does iron phosphate kill slugs?
- Slugs and snails stop feeding after eating enough bait and then die slowly, so you may not see dead slugs right away.[1]
Sources
- National Pesticide Information Center, “Iron Phosphate General Fact Sheet.” npic.orst.edu/factsheets/ironphosphategen.html (accessed 2026-10-06)
- U.S. EPA Pesticide Product Label System, “Neudorff Slug and Snail Bait (Sluggo) master label, EPA Reg. No. 67702-3 (EPA-stamped, Sept. 8, 2014).” www3.epa.gov/pesticides/chem_search/ppls/067702-00003-20140908.pdf (accessed 2026-10-06)
- University of California Statewide IPM Program, “Home and Landscape Pesticide Active Ingredients Database: iron phosphate.” ipm.ucanr.edu/home-and-landscape/pesticide-active-ingredients-database/active-ingredient-details/?uaiKey=24 (accessed 2026-10-06)
- Certis USA LLC, “Sluggo Slug and Snail Bait Safety Data Sheet (Certis USA, last updated March 27, 2018; EPA Reg. No. 67702-3-70051, a supplemental distributor registration of the page's 67702-3 label; copy hosted by labelsds.com).” labelsds.com/images/user_uploads/Sluggo%20SDS%203-27-18.pdf (accessed 2026-10-17)