PDA

View Full Version : Did you know slugs eat grass?


lilacsocks
16-05-2006, 22:23
After finally getting round to reseeding bare patches on my lawn a few weeks back, i've been dismayed at lack of growth from the new seeds, and total bare patches where there were seeds. (ok Birds might be to blame for that aswell)
But after some torrential rain an hour ago, I went to check on my grass (sad I know, but I thought 'ooh rain, should make my new grass grow a treat' )and there are slugs all over the little seedlings! Having a major feast, but not on the old, big, tough stuff!
Now I know slugs destroy all kinds of plants, they even eat the dog meat the dog spills out of his bowl:Yikes: , but grass? I'm so mad, this is war!:mad: :mad:

greencreeper
16-05-2006, 22:46
Invest in a hedgehog :D Failing that, I hear beer is very good.

Jules
16-05-2006, 22:50
I agree get a hedgehog to move into your garden

Pia
17-05-2006, 00:12
I hate slugs, i have a major slug problem here in the house and it's soo annoying!

greencreeper
17-05-2006, 00:28
In the house? Are they coming in under the door? Can always put down a line of salt - should stop them.

Pia
17-05-2006, 00:33
They come in from all over, i must have gaps everywhere but there's loads and nothing keeps them out! Hate it when you stand in them in the dark in bare feet too:disturbd::rofl:

homealone
17-05-2006, 01:09
They come in from all over, i must have gaps everywhere but there's loads and nothing keeps them out! Hate it when you stand in them in the dark in bare feet too:disturbd::rofl:

eeeew, yes, know what you mean, we used to have them climbing up the staircase banister rail, from the basement - go downstairs in the dark & put your hand on three inches of slimy slug, isn't nice - especially when you turn the light on & it is bright yellow :Yikes:

slug
17-05-2006, 01:17
Smoked it, but never ate it.

Shabba
17-05-2006, 01:29
Smoked it, but never ate it.
:D:smokin:

Nidge
17-05-2006, 06:18
As said above get some hedghogs they'll keep your slugs under control.

lilacsocks
17-05-2006, 09:15
I like the idea of getting a hedgehog! my garden is totally enclosed tho? How do I get one?

And I know what you mean about trodding on them, the front is full of snails, and I hate that crunch! I might wanna rid the world of slugs and snails, but I dont want their guts all over my shoes!

spiderplant
17-05-2006, 09:38
I like the idea of getting a hedgehog! my garden is totally enclosed tho? How do I get one?

http://www.britishhedgehogs.org.uk/FAQS/enclosed_gardens.htm

littld
17-05-2006, 09:54
The answer is to eat them - get some garlic recipes and cook them (http://escargot.free.fr/eng/cooking.htm).


Much better to go out looking and collecting for a salad than avoiding them all the time.

Halcyon
17-05-2006, 10:07
Ewwwww eating them.....No thanks.
Hedgehogs are in decline or either get squashed so I'd say try and find one and look after it in your garden. They are cool little animals.

Tuftus
17-05-2006, 11:39
Slug traps have always worked for us.

http://www.trapman.co.uk/slug-and-snail-trap-slugx.htm

pedantic
17-05-2006, 12:02
Slug traps have always worked for us.

http://www.trapman.co.uk/slug-and-snail-trap-slugx.htm

The trap man slug trap works by enticing the slugs or snails into the slug trap by the smell of yeast in the beer, once inside the slug or snail drinks from the reservoirs and becomes intoxicated to such an extent the slug or snail drowns in the beer or is so drunk it can't find its way back out of the trap, brilliantly simple and very effective, catches loads of slugs and snails

No wonder it works, I've had a few nights like that myself. :erm: oops:

Druchii
17-05-2006, 12:34
No wonder it works, I've had a few nights like that myself. :erm: oops:HAha!

And no, i didn't know they ate grass...

Gareth
17-05-2006, 13:20
But do they only eat the grass because they're so drunk from all the beer they're being forced to drink?

greencreeper
18-05-2006, 00:14
Beer works in a similar principle to the human male. After the consumption of several beers, the human male believes he can take on that big hairy bouncer. "Come on you ****! Is that your boyfriend?". For the slug, it's the same - only with hedgehogs, "Your mother was a sweeping brush", or birds. Always ends in tragedy.

Maggy
18-05-2006, 01:09
In the house? Are they coming in under the door? Can always put down a line of salt - should stop them.

Only don't put it down inside the house...make a protective circle outside the house.

however of all the methods I've tried only the slug pellets work efficiently.sadly.

Beer traps just get you really twisty slug and snail trails.;)

spiderplant
18-05-2006, 09:59
Slugs don't like crossing copper. I use copper grease (the stuff for lubricating brake parts) to make slug-proof barriers. Works a treat and doesn't wash away.

Or you can buy self-adhesive copper tape, which is probably more sensible for a door step. Try here: http://www.greengardener.co.uk/slugextra.htm

lilacsocks
18-05-2006, 13:34
The answer is to eat them - get some garlic recipes and cook them (http://escargot.free.fr/eng/cooking.htm).


Much better to go out looking and collecting for a salad than avoiding them all the time.

what!:Yikes:
Ok so my dog pees on lawn, slugs eat lawn, I eat slugs. Yummy! who needs garlic! :D

I suppose I could train dog (after drinking lots of beer) to aim at slugs while peeing on lawn!

Gareth
18-05-2006, 13:37
Teach the dog to say 'sausages' at the same time as he's taking a pee and doing target practice against the slugs, and your dog will be on the front pages of every newspaper in the country! You'll make millions!!! :D

littld
18-05-2006, 14:04
what!:Yikes:
Ok so my dog pees on lawn, slugs eat lawn, I eat slugs. Yummy! who needs garlic! :D

I suppose I could train dog (after drinking lots of beer) to aim at slugs while peeing on lawn!

Of course you should really wash them first. The slime doesn't go down well.

Maggy
18-05-2006, 17:46
Frankly with the amount of pesticides and slug pellets around you won't catch me eating snails out of the garden.:erm:

Druchii
18-05-2006, 17:48
I just wouldn't eat slugs anyway, normal food is bad enough...

crazycamper
18-05-2006, 18:24
use salt

Tightscot
18-05-2006, 18:48
build a trap and use it to catch a bird - thrushes are best. Then tie a bit of string onto its feet and tether it to a stake in your garden. Voila. a ready made aerial slug destroyer. and it won't fly off.

Chimaera
18-05-2006, 19:10
Did you know that slugs also eat paper?
I found that out when I went to tidy my then 6 year old's bedroom - she had decided to keep a few 'pet' slugs in one of her toyboxes. To keep them happy she also left them some books to read - and they ate trails of paper! :disturbd: :D
And yes, she was a stange child!

Pia
18-05-2006, 21:12
Slugs don't like crossing copper. I use copper grease (the stuff for lubricating brake parts) to make slug-proof barriers. Works a treat and doesn't wash away.

Or you can buy self-adhesive copper tape, which is probably more sensible for a door step. Try here: http://www.greengardener.co.uk/slugextra.htm

Some good ideas in this thread for de-slugging my house... but some aren't really practical, e.g. slug pellets might not be good for my 3 yr old to have around he's always picking things up outside and in... salt just makes them go slimy, beer traps seem like hard work... i think i'd rather chop my left hand off than eat them :D

So the copper thing sounds good! Does this really work? And is it expensive? And could i put it all round the house in hardly noticeable strips and will it stay there when it rains? :D

spiderplant
18-05-2006, 21:50
I'm sure copper works. Not too expensive - see the link I posted. I've not used the tape, but I'd guess it sticks on well in the wet as it's usually used for plant pots.

BTW, I have bought other stuff from Green Gardener, and found them reliable.

Pia
18-05-2006, 22:16
Thanks spiderplant i might sort that out:tu:

Angua
18-05-2006, 22:45
http://www.cardiff.ac.uk/biosi/research/biodiversity/staff/wocs2.html

Very interesting information on Slugs and methods for their demise http://www.smileyhut.com/exile/aim.gif

Pia
05-06-2006, 02:26
Well, me being me...i haven't 'got around' to doing anything about it, but after tonight i definitely will, they seem to be getting worse!

I usually leave them to it since they're gone by morning but tonight i got some of them onto the dustpan, i took a piccie, bear in mind they have gone all shrivelled so are a lot bigger, and this was only about half of the ones in the kitchen, some of the others got away under the units...

Definitely going to sort this out this week:(

Druchii
05-06-2006, 02:29
Ah, that's bad Pia, you really do need that sorting. Never had a problem like that. But i hope you get it sorted!

greencreeper
05-06-2006, 07:10
I have this vision of Pia a la Lara Croft, only with two tubs of sea salt, one strapped to each thigh, instead of 9mm's :D

Druchii
05-06-2006, 16:17
I have this vision of Pia a la Lara Croft, only with two tubs of sea salt, one strapped to each thigh, instead of 9mm's :D Haha, that's actually a nice image to have... Die Slugs!!!

Pia
05-06-2006, 20:04
I have this vision of Pia a la Lara Croft, only with two tubs of sea salt, one strapped to each thigh, instead of 9mm's :D Haha, that's actually a nice image to have... Die Slugs!!!
lo, well last night i did go on a bit of an angry mission with the salt, regretted it this morning though when i had to clean them all up, slime and all..:disturbd:

All i could find for now is some cockroach and ant killer mousse stuff, i've sprayed it in all the crevices i wonder if it'll stop the slugs coming in too..:erm:

(I don't have cockroaches by the way, but earwigs were a problem til all the trees got cut down last year!)

Druchii
05-06-2006, 20:06
lo, well last night i did go on a bit of an angry mission with the salt, regretted it this morning though when i had to clean them all up, slime and all..:disturbd:

All i could find for now is some cockroach and ant killer mousse stuff, i've sprayed it in all the crevices i wonder if it'll stop the slugs coming in too..:erm:

(I don't have cockroaches by the way, but earwigs were a problem til all the trees got cut down last year!)

Pia, wouldn't it be an idea to get the job done properly and concrete in all the gaps? We did that with Ants... It stopped them for a year (they can eat through concrete and the likes...)

Pia
05-06-2006, 20:16
Pia, wouldn't it be an idea to get the job done properly and concrete in all the gaps? We did that with Ants... It stopped them for a year (they can eat through concrete and the likes...)
Yeah that would be an idea, but not one that i'd ever do lol:D

I live in a council house, so they should be the ones doing stuff like that, but they won't, because they say slugs aren't pests.

Druchii
05-06-2006, 20:21
Yeah that would be an idea, but not one that i'd ever do lol:D I live in a council house, so they should be the ones doing stuff like that, but they won't, because they say slugs aren't pests. Got any fellas you know willing to do the job in exchange for a few beers etc?

Tis the way we got it done.

Pia
05-06-2006, 20:24
Yeah that would be an idea, but not one that i'd ever do lol:D I live in a council house, so they should be the ones doing stuff like that, but they won't, because they say slugs aren't pests. Got any fellas you know willing to do the job in exchange for a few beers etc?

Tis the way we got it done.
To be honest, i can't see it making much difference anyway, there's just a lot of slugs in my back garden, and a small percentage of them (like millions lol) end up in my house, and they can get in all sorts of gaps and tiny holes so it would be impossible to say i could have any gaps filled there are none that are obvious really.
I just wondered though, is there a certain thing that attracts them, like cat food etc.. or a certain kind of plant?

TheDaddy
05-06-2006, 23:54
I am assuming that you have a cat due to you mentioning cat food unfortunately he may be the problem as it probably keeps the birds out of your garden, I think that Slugs are keen on lettuce.

greencreeper
06-06-2006, 00:04
Lettuce! Lettuce Raider Two - plant a load of lettuce. Theory being that they'll head for the lettuce instead of the house.

Maggy
06-06-2006, 00:23
Pia do you have any low ground air bricks in your property?You know those bricks made of redclay with a grid in them?This where they get into my house so a good sprinkling of slug pellets OUTSIDE by the air bricks will solve the problem.It's a case of get them BEFORE they get into the house.If in doubt just lay a trail all around your property about a foot wide from the walls out.

I'm currently slug free.:tu:

Graham M
06-06-2006, 00:52
We've got a bit of a slug problem at work, i sleep there some nights on the Futon (dead comfy :D) and when I got up this morning there was a slug trail over the end of my shoes!!! But no signs of slugs during the day!!!

Pia
06-06-2006, 01:36
I am assuming that you have a cat due to you mentioning cat food unfortunately he may be the problem as it probably keeps the birds out of your garden, I think that Slugs are keen on lettuce.

Yeah there's loads of cats around here, i've got one, and next door-but-1 have about 9:erm:
Pia do you have any low ground air bricks in your property?You know those bricks made of redclay with a grid in them?This where they get into my house so a good sprinkling of slug pellets OUTSIDE by the air bricks will solve the problem.It's a case of get them BEFORE they get into the house.If in doubt just lay a trail all around your property about a foot wide from the walls out.

I'm currently slug free.:tu:
I don't think there is any of them bricks Coggy.
The thing is with them slug pellets i was a bit wary about having them around with a young child and a cat?

No sign of any slugs through the day here either Zeph, they only come out at night and are gone by morning.
After my salt rampage last night i had bleached and boiling watered the floor outside the back door today and i've just been out and there is definitely a massive improvment so maybe the bleach is keeping them away too?
There's none in the house tonight only a couple by the front door.

I can't work it out though, it's either the bleach, the cockroach killing stuff, the fact i cut the grass today (it wasn't that long though) but i also de-weeded around the edges - LOADS of that stuff that sticks to you i don't know what it's called lol. Or maybe it's because it's been dry? There seems to be loads more when it rains.

Maggy
06-06-2006, 15:38
I am assuming that you have a cat due to you mentioning cat food unfortunately he may be the problem as it probably keeps the birds out of your garden, I think that Slugs are keen on lettuce.
Yeah there's loads of cats around here, i've got one, and next door-but-1 have about 9:erm:
Pia do you have any low ground air bricks in your property?You know those bricks made of redclay with a grid in them?This where they get into my house so a good sprinkling of slug pellets OUTSIDE by the air bricks will solve the problem.It's a case of get them BEFORE they get into the house.If in doubt just lay a trail all around your property about a foot wide from the walls out.

I'm currently slug free.:tu: I don't think there is any of them bricks Coggy.
The thing is with them slug pellets i was a bit wary about having them around with a young child and a cat?

No sign of any slugs through the day here either Zeph, they only come out at night and are gone by morning.
After my salt rampage last night i had bleached and boiling watered the floor outside the back door today and i've just been out and there is definitely a massive improvment so maybe the bleach is keeping them away too?
There's none in the house tonight only a couple by the front door.

I can't work it out though, it's either the bleach, the cockroach killing stuff, the fact i cut the grass today (it wasn't that long though) but i also de-weeded around the edges - LOADS of that stuff that sticks to you i don't know what it's called lol. Or maybe it's because it's been dry? There seems to be loads more when it rains.
Your cat will be fine..it's dogs that are stupid.Your son you can teach not to touch anything that you put down to kill slugs and you can actually afer a few days just sweep up the pellets and any debris.

My slugs come in from the cold,heat,wet,dry or even wind..I've not actually noticed a pattern with them.Just that a concentrate attack against them pays dividends for quite some time.I suspect that you determined efforts have put them off and with less greenery next to the house they won't be getting so close to the house.They are after just looking for food.


There is nothing worse than a stood upon squished slug during the night.:(Except if you are barefoot.

Druchii
06-06-2006, 15:40
Your cat will be fine..it's dogs that are stupid.Your son you can teach not to touch anything that you put down to kill slugs and you can actually afer a few days just sweep up the pellets and any debris. My slugs come in from the cold,heat,wet,dry or even wind..I've not actually noticed a pattern with them.Just that a concentrate attack against them pays dividends for quite some time.I suspect that you determined efforts have put them off and with less greenery next to the house they won't be getting so close to the house.They are after just looking for food. There is nothing worse than a stood upon squished slug during the night.:(Except if you are barefoot. Did it twice in the same night... walked outside once, got one on my right foot, so i took my sock off. Went back outside... And SQUISH, another one, on my left foot... Eww!

TheDaddy
06-06-2006, 23:15
You could try looking for the slime trails and clean them up/ put salt on them, I am quite sure that other Slugs follow trails in search of food.

Pia
07-06-2006, 01:19
Well, i've been on another slug mission tonight...:erm: (i think i need to get out more:D)

I bought some of them pellets today, it says on the tub that they are very safe for kiddys and animals, and that when the slugs come into contact with them they will crawl into a crevice and die, leaving no slime or slug corpses to get rid of.

So.... i scattered them all over the garden, and also on the path outside the back door where they all seem to go. I was watching one for about 10 minutes sucking on a pellet, and it did go into the cracks of the paving slabs and diappear:D:D

Not one slug that i can see in the house tonight woooot!

It's Pia vs Slugs = 1-0 to me:cleader:

Maggy
07-06-2006, 17:25
Well, i've been on another slug mission tonight...:erm: (i think i need to get out more:D)

I bought some of them pellets today, it says on the tub that they are very safe for kiddys and animals, and that when the slugs come into contact with them they will crawl into a crevice and die, leaving no slime or slug corpses to get rid of.

So.... i scattered them all over the garden, and also on the path outside the back door where they all seem to go. I was watching one for about 10 minutes sucking on a pellet, and it did go into the cracks of the paving slabs and diappear:D:D

Not one slug that i can see in the house tonight woooot!

It's Pia vs Slugs = 1-0 to me:cleader:

Do make sure that there are no slug or snail corpses around afterwards though..because they will not be good for our native songbirds that eat snails and slugs.:tu:

monkey2468
07-06-2006, 17:50
I hate slugs, i have a major slug problem here in the house and it's soo annoying!

My sister used to have a major problem with slugs. They used to go all over the carpet during the night, you could never leave anything on the floor. The problem she had was the house had a damp problem, so she had a damp course done, then turned the central heating on full for a couple of days and they disapeared. Poison didn't work, as they were breading faster than they were dying!!!

Jules
07-06-2006, 19:23
I have never had slugs coming in to the house! Poor Pia I hope you get it sorted out soon as it sounds very unpleasant :(

Pia
07-06-2006, 20:37
Well i got up this morning and there's no sign of slug trails here in the house or outside!:D:D

Thing is though, there's blue pellets outside everywhere! I had even put them out on the front on my rampage so the neighbours will all likely know i had a slug problem. Ah well who cares, at least all my shoes and everything won't be slug trailed up anymore!
Well... for now anyway:)

Druchii
07-06-2006, 20:47
Well i got up this morning and there's no sign of slug trails here in the house or outside!:D:D Thing is though, there's blue pellets outside everywhere! I had even put them out on the front on my rampage so the neighbours will all likely know i had a slug problem. Ah well who cares, at least all my shoes and everything won't be slug trailed up anymore! Well... for now anyway:) That's great news Pia, well done!