Snails’ sense of smell.

I had little luck with the petunia wave Blue Denim seeds which I sowed earlier in the year - only six germinated and so I was not happy when, while hardening them off, one was eaten by snails/slugs. The rest are now protected by copper bands placed around the plant pots which seem to be working.
It doesn’t stop me doing snail patrols on damp nights, such as today’s, and though the Blue Denim petunias were fine, there were 15 snails on or very close to the terracotta pot containing bigger Red Velour petunias.
How do snails know they’re there? From how far away can they detect a petunia dinner? I really find it hard to destroy the things so like to give them a fighting chance by lobbing them way up the lawn yet hoping badgers will do the dirty deed and make short shrift of them. Do badgers eat snails? Or foxes, though they’re less frequent visitors?
It doesn’t stop me doing snail patrols on damp nights, such as today’s, and though the Blue Denim petunias were fine, there were 15 snails on or very close to the terracotta pot containing bigger Red Velour petunias.
How do snails know they’re there? From how far away can they detect a petunia dinner? I really find it hard to destroy the things so like to give them a fighting chance by lobbing them way up the lawn yet hoping badgers will do the dirty deed and make short shrift of them. Do badgers eat snails? Or foxes, though they’re less frequent visitors?
0
Posts
Here is a nice, non hysterical, calm and informative article about snails.
http://agresearch.montana.edu/wtarc/producerinfo/entomology-insect-ecology/EasternHeathSnail/GermanFactSheet.pdf
For help in the garden, you need a thrush for the snails and a blackbird for the slugs.🙂
I don't know the details but there was some research that showed they have a 'homing' instinct and will return to their patch. And every gardener knows they have distinct preferences, so they must sense direction. Their eyes are not especially good, I think, so smell must be the answer.
They ARE interesting and we shouldn't be hysterical, but they are also very destructive in a garden. It's our fault in a way - we provide all the things they need in a small space and then complain when they breed successfully. We also bring in foreign varieties which flourish in our climate. If our gardens were like meadows there wouldn't be so many slugs, but I am afraid that if we are to garden, we cannot rely on thrushes and blackbirds. At least, not without a plague of those, too!
I remember a question on GQT about protecting hostas from slugs. One member of the panel wryly advocated protecting salad crops by surrounding them with hostas.
A laager of hedgehogs would do the trick.