I've just been out and got another 20+ ✂ 😠 I found a fat frog sitting under the geranium foliage surrounded by Spanish slugs ... poor thing definitely looked overwhelmed.
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
I was about to make a post asking how people disposed of their Spanish slugs as I'm having a particular problem with them right now writhing all over the hedgehog food. The past week has gotten really bad, even the mouse who nicks the hedgehog food is reluctant to go anywhere near the bowl once those slimy critters get in there. I was getting a hedgehog every night on my wildlife camera but since the slugs have taken it up several notches, they've been noticeably absent. One did stop by for a snack the night before last despite a slug being in the bowl. Would have loved it if it had treated it as a tasty morsel but it wasn't remotely interested. I expected as much (but was hoping otherwise) and the blackbirds who came along didn't take a blind bit of notice either 😭
I know that collecting them up is going to be the only way but how do people dispose of them after? I'm squeamish so there isn't going to be any squashing or cutting them up, and I really don't want to cause them a horrible slow death either. Is there a non cruel way of destroying them or am I just going to have to toughen up?
I’ve toughened up. I can’t bear to see them writhing in salt water or similar. I reckon a firm application of the secateurs cutting them in half immediately is the best way. I leave them where they are … within a few hours more Spanish slugs have come along to eat them … so i snip them too … and the ones that come to eat them … etc etc etc.
I don’t do it to any other slugs … just the orangey-brown Spanish ones. They’re just too prolific and they have no predators … except each other when I’ve snipped them.
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
The snip is the least cruel way. It's instant. I think the absolute worst is salt. I don't want to watch anything writhing in agony. I don't think pellets act quickly either but I suppose the benefit of that is you don't get to watch the death throes. Snip for slugs and stamp for snails. Many years ago, I put salt in a big slug, felt sorry for it and poured water on iye. I never used salt again
I pick them up with on of my poo bags ( an empty one!) then cover with soapy water. Don't think that takes long as i have never seen any movement afterwards. They are then nicely bagged up to go in the bin the next day. I cannot find any pictures of what they look like between the egg and the full size orange ones so i am not sure which small slugs to dispatch to the bin either. Dont really want to kill all of them as the native slugs are part of the food chain in the garden but how can i risk leaving one to grow up and lay up to 400 eggs and start all over again. I have not found any big orange ones for the last 2 nights so i think i have got on top of them this time....or have I ?
I've just noticed you're down the road from us @benSQcAt4vR so 'Hello Neighbour ' .... seems to be a 'good year' for Spanish slugs hereabouts ... I've never ever seen them in the numbers we've got this year.
This from our neighbours up the road may be of interest
Posts
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
I know that collecting them up is going to be the only way but how do people dispose of them after? I'm squeamish so there isn't going to be any squashing or cutting them up, and I really don't want to cause them a horrible slow death either. Is there a non cruel way of destroying them or am I just going to have to toughen up?
… so i snip them too … and the ones that come to eat them … etc etc etc.
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Many years ago, I put salt in a big slug, felt sorry for it and poured water on iye. I never used salt again
I cannot find any pictures of what they look like between the egg and the full size orange ones so i am not sure which small slugs to dispatch to the bin either. Dont really want to kill all of them as the native slugs are part of the food chain in the garden but how can i risk leaving one to grow up and lay up to 400 eggs and start all over again.
I have not found any big orange ones for the last 2 nights so i think i have got on top of them this time....or have I ?
This from our neighbours up the road may be of interest
https://www.jic.ac.uk/research-impact/technology-research-platforms/entomology-and-insectary/slugwatch/slug-identification-guide/spanish-slug/
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
https://sciencenordic.com/denmark-gardening-slugs/only-one-way-to-get-rid-of-spanish-slugs/1420123
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.