Identifying key volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that help slugs locate host plants can enhance eco-friendly slug management. We used sequential solvent extraction of Ginkgo biloba seed exocarps and tested the extracts for attractiveness. Slugs preferred chloroform and ethanol extracts, and, to a lesser extent, n-hexane extracts, whereas ethyl acetate and acetone extracts were not attractive. The attractiveness of an extract to slugs was positively correlated with the richness of VOCs. We screened nine dominant VOCs and found that γ-octalactone and tetradecane were highly attractive to slugs, even at low concentrations. Butyl caprate attracted slugs at low to medium concentrations, while pentadecane was attractive at medium to high concentrations. Ethyl salicylate and trans-2-undecenal were attractive only at high concentrations. Four VOC mixtures were highly attractive under both laboratory and field conditions. These findings indicate that plant volatile-based baits are effective for trapping large numbers of slugs, offering valuable insights for the development of botanical attractants.
Li et al. (2026) studied this question.