Denmark under siege by army of killer snails

Spanish slugs out in force thanks to mild and wet spring

An invasion force is currently occupying Denmark.

No, it’s not the Russians, and Dansk Folkeparti (DF) can relax too because they’re not asylum-seekers either, although they are unwanted immigrants of sorts. It’s the Spanish slug (known less affectionately as the ‘dræbersneglen’ – the ‘killer snail’) in Danish circles.

The wet and mild spring and summer means that hordes of the unwanted species have emerged to descend upon Denmark’s gardens.

“The killer snails have had a really good winter, a good spring and actually a very good early summer,” Steen Hedrup, a nature guide from the knowledge and exhibition centre Økolariet, told DR Nyheder. “So we don’t need to fear that they’ll die out right away.”

The unwanted Arion Vulgaris – no DF, that’s the slug’s Latin name and not a Lithuanian worker – is an invasive species that was first observed in Denmark in 1991 in Bornholm.

READ MORE: Starlings disappearing from Denmark

Train your local hedgehog
Killer snails can decimate a garden and eat just about any type of plant besides trees. It uses its sense of smell to locate food and will also devour dead animals and animal excrement, although plants emanating strong odours are usually eaten first.

Originally hailing from the Iberian peninsula, the slug has managed to gain a solid foothold in Denmark because it has no natural enemies and the moist climate suits it well.

Hedrup contends that a good way to combat the slugs is to cut them in half and leave them in the garden. This will apparently help train hedgehogs to eat the slugs.




  • Today is 10 years from Copenhagen terrorist attack

    Today is 10 years from Copenhagen terrorist attack

    On February 14 and 15, the last terrorist attack took place in Denmark. Another episode occurred in 2022, but in that case, there was no political motive behind it

  • Enter Christiania: how the Freetown works

    Enter Christiania: how the Freetown works

    We all know Christiania and have been there at least once. But how does the Freetown work? How are decisions made? Can a person move there? Is there rent or bills to pay? British journalist Dave Wood wrote a reportage on Christiania for The Copenhagen Post.

  • The struggles of Asian women in Denmark’s labour market

    The struggles of Asian women in Denmark’s labour market

    Isha Thapa unfolds her research “An Analysis on the Inclusivity and Integration of South Asian Women in High-Skilled Jobs within the Danish Labor Market”. Thapa describes the systemic and social challenges these women face, ranging from barriers in social capital to cultural integration.

  • Parents in Denmark reject social media monitoring 

    Parents in Denmark reject social media monitoring 

    Most parents in Denmark reject using social media parental controls despite knowing about them. A new study questions the effectiveness of these tools in ensuring children’s online safety.

  • Analysis: we need a different education system for international children in Denmark

    Analysis: we need a different education system for international children in Denmark

    Data analyst Kelly Draper Rasmussen highlights that Denmark sees peaks in international migration during early childhood and high school years. However, with only one international education option, many families are forced to leave to secure different opportunities for their children.

  • Danish Refugee Council to lay off up to 2,000 staff

    Danish Refugee Council to lay off up to 2,000 staff

    After the anticipation from The Copenhagen Post, a press release by DRC has confirmed the plan to lay off thousands of employees in response to the recent halt of foreign aid spending by the Trump administration.