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Slugs vs Science

The_herpetologistThe_herpetologist Posts: 481
in Problem solving
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-44357663

At last! About time the myths were exploded! I’ve tried them all and to my dismay, the only effective method is those nasty slug pellets.

My predictions for the results of this research, based on personal experience....

Copper tape - little evidence of impact
Grit - no impact
Slug pellets - effective
Egg shells - no impact 
Pine bark mulch - no impact
Sheeps wool - little impact
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Posts

  • nutcutletnutcutlet Posts: 27,361
    My answer to slugs is
    Leave to the wildlife
    Don't grow slug delicacies



    In the sticks near Peterborough
  • The_herpetologistThe_herpetologist Posts: 481
    I should have added....

    Frogs - highly effective
  • paul_in_surreypaul_in_surrey Posts: 239
    Beer traps - waste of beer.
    “Success is the ability to go from one failure to another with no loss of enthusiasm.” Winston Churchill
  • NollieNollie Posts: 7,490
    Gravel works for me, it’s volcanic rock, quite rough and spiky. Have to mound the ring quite high.
    Mountainous Northern Catalunya, Spain. Hot summers, cold winters.
  • B3B3 Posts: 27,018
    Scissors and stamps 
    In London. Keen but lazy.
  • josusa47josusa47 Posts: 3,530
    paul_in_surrey said:
    Beer traps - waste of beer. 
    You don't need to use real beer.  If it's mostly water, it will drown them.  If it's sweet, it will attract them.  If it's alcoholic, it will make them reckless and accident prone.  IME, a big jar of sugar solution, with a bit of fresh or dried baking yeast stirred in, and left to ferment in the kitchen for a few days, is quite as effective as Theakston's best.
  • FireFire Posts: 18,138
    molluscs versus
    copper
    copper
    copper, wire bristles and electric fence

    v soot
    v broken glass
    v egg shells
    v grease
    v 9 volt electric fence (they still make it!)

    Members of the forum with lots of frogs attest that they still gets loads of slugs.
  • paul_in_surreypaul_in_surrey Posts: 239
    @josusa47 - in truth when I've tried beer traps I've done it with the own brand cheepo stuff from the supermarket that you'd have to have reached the lowest low to contemplate actually drinking. However, even though they caught quite a few slimey types they seemed to attract even more. It was like last orders at the Queen Vic.
    “Success is the ability to go from one failure to another with no loss of enthusiasm.” Winston Churchill
  • Mary370Mary370 Posts: 2,003
    Chickens love slugs and snails............if they could just be trained not to eat plants
  • The Bald GardenerThe Bald Gardener Posts: 212
    The hopeful herpetologist said:
    I should have added....

    Frogs - highly effective
    Agreed. I've got a resident toad at the moment and I haven't spotted a single slug in days. 
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