Sorry to perhaps dredge up old territory, but having read several of the messages on this message board, I have concluded that the use of slug pellets is undesirable, but sometimes they are used out of sheer desperation.
I read somewhere (not my own idea alas) that a convenient slug trap could be made from an old margarine tub with a hole cut in the side and filled with a spoonful (or thereabouts) of pellets. The tub is then placed where required with the lid on. The slugs are retained inside, which prevents them getting eaten by birds etc and makes disposal far less disgusting (a carrier bag works extremely well). I am not plagued by slugs :) and so have not had to resort to this method, but has anyone else used this or a similar technique?
How would you lure them in? Are they actually attracted to slug pellets?
I'm plagued by slugs, but don't use pellets as I don't want to kill my birds and frogs!
I use the beer traps.........much to my hubbies disgust.....waste of good beer he says! Have heard that you can also put milk in, but the thought of clearing that out......yuck! I make my own traps out of various contraptions, those yoghurt pots with the cereal containers on top, work well with a few holes cut here and there.( Could use these for pellets, they say pellets are already baited so the slugs are attracted to them) Hand picking at night with a torch (and rubber gloves!) seems to be the best way, but don't go out in bare feet and tread on one! Darn things are stickier than super glue! and the biggest help for slug removal is of course a pond full of frogs, and a garden full of birds!! Good old mother nature :-) Dottie P.
I mostly use pellets under fleece or mesh, or in a trench - I love birds, too. Although they do say that birds won't eat a dead slug? And they don't like blue, anyway.
If they're not under cover, I just put a slate over.
And they do say scatter 3-4" apart - don't put in heaps. = Tim
gavin's website has link to an article that if I remember rightly says something like when you put slug pellet down, they kill the first slugs, then the poison leaches out, leaving very tasty dogfood type stuff that slugs adore so just attracts more! There is a link to gavin's sight on his list of internet links on this site.
As with all chemicals I use them sparingly if needs must.
I have a feeling there IS an attractant in them so by spreading them willy nilly is 1) wasteful 2) could worsen the situation (if I am right about the attractant)
What I tend to do is spread just a few around the perimeter of the area I am protecting.
Another thing I swear by is; find where they lurk during the day, e.g. hedge, hut, rubbish, etc. and place a few pellets around the base of it , so that when they come out for their nightly feed they have a go at the pellets first and don't make it to the veg/flowers.
This makes life easier when getting rid of of the dead ones, because they are all together they are easily swept up before the wildlife & pets get at them.
If I cant finda the spot where they lurk I place a few pellets in a row then I place a board over them.
I then wedge the board up slightly so that the slugs can get under. Then each morning I clear up the carnage.
Each to there own.......incidently I tend to get more snails than slugs.
Another method I have used is to use copper to deter the blooming things. As I work in the electrical workshop in a technical college, there is a lot of used cable. I strip the insulation off and make up hoops of copper wire about 150mm diameter (6 inches in old money!). I place these around new seedlings, eg lettuces and take my chances.
The principle is that the slug underside reacts chemically with the copper, so they avoid touching them. The results I have had so far have been promising, but not conclusive, as my slug problem is minor. What I need is something for the pigeons . . .
Yes Ceri, I have also read that the toxin disappears fairly quickly, leaving the attractant and possibly increasing the slug population, but I have no conclusive evidence of that.
I use a pair of sharp scissors ,go round and cut them in half.Sorry people who think that its cruel to kill slugs .But i think that this is a quick and painless way.
Following much discussions on the beeb boards, I started throwing my used coffee grounds on my flower beds, no scientific evidence but I have noted a decrease in damage.
Snails tend to give me more hassle, think themselves tough just 'cos they wear a shell.....
... yesterday found a huge overwintering cluster of the little blighters which were duly placed on the concrete and shown the back of the spade.......... then watched the jays come and feast on the remains of the day....... is this an organic approach? ;D
Hi all - the link is http://www.cf.ac.uk/biosi/research/biodiversity/staff/wocs2.html .
Slick marketing? The 3% poison lasts 48 hours, the 95% (dogfood and yeast) bait lasts for weeks - attracting in slugs, just to remind you to buy another tin?
I'm with The Gardener - know where they b.....s like to hide - and GET them when they least expect it!
All best - Gavin
I am an evil peep spear the blighters at nite by torch with sharp stick use marg tub traps and bounce snails with pleasure I do not use pellets [ enjoy the killing spree too much] but like to read others advice :)
What a site, Gavin - 15 pages!!
I'm glad he confirmed the organic killers - more expensive, as always, but nice to have a choice. As to aluminium sulphate, which we use for hostas etc - I've already got dementia, so nothing to lose!! The nematodes have a longer life these days, don't they?
I'm still lost, though, in identification. The more difficult ones, as I see it, are the burrowers - the ones that are small enough to be inside a potato, certainly not longer than 15mm. Is this a type, or are they just babies getting in a bit of practice? = Tim
Tim. I was wondering about that very same thing. I always assumed they were babies.
QuoteI mostly use pellets under fleece or mesh, or in a trench - I love birds, too. Although they do say that birds won't eat a dead slug? And they don't like blue, anyway.
If they're not under cover, I just put a slate over.
And they do say scatter 3-4" apart - don't put in heaps. = Tim
Sorry but birds do eat dead slugs. My mum uses beer traps and puts all the dead slugs on her bird table. They're always gone within minutes
My mum uses beer traps and puts all the dead slugs on her bird table. They're always gone within minutes
Yes! but are they after the slugs or the beer ;D