The word gastropod comes from Greek and means “stomach foot,” a name that owes its existence to the unusual anatomy of snails. Snails have a broad flat muscular “foot” used for support and for forward movement.
I do apologise @mattpope5 i think I got off track there for a moment. I chuck stuff in the green bin (green in our county) and am dismayed that I am sending my lovely ladybirds away. If I've binge-filled then I'll leave the lid open for the night otherwise there are tons of them on the lid when I next open it and I feel bad. I (fingers crossed) don't see many slugs or snails, only decrepit shells. This is peculiar to this garden (IME) and wonder if our high bird population is the reason? I'm going to whisper but we even have hostas with no holes. Can you possibly increase your bird attendance and see if that helps?
Thanks @Cloggie. I do come across a number of empty shells so do have a number of birds who are doing their bit. My gastropod problem isn't massive currently but that's probably due to the number that I chuck in the bin on a daily basis. I just got to thinking if I was chucking the same ones in over and over again.
I think you need to put a dot on the back of each with a paint pen. Just keep it handy near the bin to use before chucking them in.. then you'll know if they made it out again. I am curious as well.
Day 1 3 of the 4 marked Brians were still on the underside of the brown bin lid. They'd been joined by one fat Cyril but prisoner No.4 is currently AWOL.
I used to give the big snails a chance - by chucking them over the fence into the road. Nowadays, as the hedging and boundary shrubs are bigger, I don't give them an option for returning.... It's a hard school here, and the blackbirds aren't always in during the summer to help. Useless b8ggers
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
I'd chuck them over a boundary if they weren't going into a neighbour's garden (on the basis that I wouldn't be happy if any got launched my way). They can go in the brown bin for now but they should know that they're being watched!
Day 3 update. Brown bin has been emptied but the biggest marked Brian made it back to the refuge (I dropped them all back in when I put the bin out) of the underside of the lid. He's either determined to get back to my garden or just loves it in that bin!
No excuses for not doing any of the jobs in the garden now that bin is empty again
Posts
From we'redeadclever.com! 😁
3 of the 4 marked Brians were still on the underside of the brown bin lid. They'd been joined by one fat Cyril but prisoner No.4 is currently AWOL.
It's a hard school here, and the blackbirds aren't always in during the summer to help. Useless b8ggers
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Brown bin has been emptied but the biggest marked Brian made it back to the refuge (I dropped them all back in when I put the bin out) of the underside of the lid. He's either determined to get back to my garden or just loves it in that bin!
No excuses for not doing any of the jobs in the garden now that bin is empty again