A low voltage 'fence' will definitely work, Pete. However, if you used wires or tapes made of two different metals, the slime and body fluid of a slug crossing them would in fact become the electrolyte in a battery and receive a small shock (Galvanic effect.) Aluminium tape is readily available, so maybe that, a narrow gap and a line of copper tape would eliminate the need for a battery. According to a scientific table I just looked at, a copper-aluminium galvanic cell produces 2 volts. Not much to us, but maybe enough to deter a mollusc?
A trowel in the hand is worth a thousand lost under a bush.
Exactly what I was thinking Bob - Baco-foil and copper wire with a small space between them, and if the galvanic effect isn't enough I could add a 9v battery so they know I mean business:)
Billericay - Essex
Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit. Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
There's lot of vids on that too. They can arch over quite a wide area. 9 volt battery here. (Vid best muted). The vid series pitches slugs against broken glass, soot, car grease, razor blades etc. (See the drop down vid menu). Needless to say that none of them worked.
@Fire Try mixing some warm water, sugar and baking yeast, leaving it for a day or so somewhere warm (watch out for it overflowing the container!) instead of beer. I think the slugs are attracted to rotting fruit because of the yeast 'brewing' process, rather than just the alchohol. I use 'real ale' which contains live yeast and add some sugar to kick it off again, but I think modern bottled/canned stuff is pasteurised or similar so perhaps not so attractive?
A trowel in the hand is worth a thousand lost under a bush.
Yes, but something in the brew (alcohol I would guess) stupefies them into not doing so. Trust me, I've emptied enough stinking jars of dead slugs to know it works and isn't some sort of myth.
A trowel in the hand is worth a thousand lost under a bush.
Oh, I am quite sure it works for many people, not a myth. I wondered if it was the alcoholic content and if just yeast in water would be effective. I have two pubs on the go at the moment and have a single slug in there after a week. I will try adding yeast to the beer and see if makes a difference.
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Billericay - Essex
Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.