Slugs gone ?

silverwhistle

I had two hedgehogs nose to nose by my raised beds early in the season, one a really big healthy looking thing. Haven't seen them since, but mine didn't do a good job on the slugs!:-)

StumpyPumpy

We don't like slug pellets as they can harm other animals so we use a capture and release method - I go out after dark and rain with a jam jar and torch, collect what I find then walk about 50 yards down the road to open countryside, leave the open jar there for the night and collect the empties the next morning.

What started as a jar full to the brim each night has become just a few now; though whether this is due to the weather or my actions is unsure. We do leave the leopard slugs in the garden as they eat other slugs and not living plants - another reason for us not to use slug pellets.

SP

50Twuncle

StumpyPumpy wrote: »

We don't like slug pellets as they can harm other animals so we use a capture and release method - I go out after dark and rain with a jam jar and torch, collect what I find then walk about 50 yards down the road to open countryside, leave the open jar there for the night and collect the empties the next morning.

What started as a jar full to the brim each night has become just a few now; though whether this is due to the weather or my actions is unsure. We do leave the leopard slugs in the garden as they eat other slugs and not living plants - another reason for us not to use slug pellets.
SP

Hadn't you realised that Slugs are homing creatures ?
The fact that you have released the same ones again and again - they turn round and follow you home as soon as you turn your back on them.....

50 yards is absolutely nothing to a fit, agile slug.
I used to do the same - until I recognised a returning slug that I had taken for a cat ride to the other side of the county !

StumpyPumpy

50Twuncle wrote: »

Hadn't you realised that Slugs are homing creatures ?

They'd need to be well acquainted with the green cross code to make it back in one piece as I haven't noticed any tiny "slug crossing" signs hiding behind any walls yet.

SP

Farway

50Twuncle wrote: »

I do not use pellets - I use hedgehogs !!
Hedgehogs are more environmentally sound as well

Perhaps you'd be kind enough to parcel them up & send them here for me to use?;) I've only got flat ones

50Twuncle

StumpyPumpy wrote: »

They'd need to be well acquainted with the green cross code to make it back in one piece as I haven't noticed any tiny "slug crossing" signs hiding behind any walls yet.

SP

Duuuurgh ! - they do it UNDERGROUND !

50Twuncle

Farway wrote: »

Perhaps you'd be kind enough to parcel them up & send them here for me to use?;) I've only got flat ones

OK and I will need your address !
I don't see why you want non-flat slug pellets - but each to his / her own ...
How many would you like ?

50Twuncle

StumpyPumpy wrote: »

We don't like slug pellets as they can harm other animals so we use a capture and release method - I go out after dark and rain with a jam jar and torch, collect what I find then walk about 50 yards down the road to open countryside, leave the open jar there for the night and collect the empties the next morning.

What started as a jar full to the brim each night has become just a few now; though whether this is due to the weather or my actions is unsure. We do leave the leopard slugs in the garden as they eat other slugs and not living plants - another reason for us not to use slug pellets.

SP

Just been reading up on leopard slugs
Did you know that despite being hermaphrodites they have sex for fun in trees surrounded with slime !

StumpyPumpy

50Twuncle wrote: »

Just been reading up on leopard slugs
Did you know that despite being hermaphrodites they have sex for fun in trees surrounded with slime !

Is that generally thought of as unusual then?

SP

50Twuncle

StumpyPumpy wrote: »

Is that generally thought of as unusual then?

SP

Not where I live but.....