inundated with slugs &snails?

Question

do slug pellets harm any other creatures other than what they are intended for? dont want to harm any other creature.

Answer 1

How about using some easy environmentally friendly pesticides you can make yourself? You'll be successful in repelling the slugs & snails if you use more than one of these methods at the same time, such as a slug/snail repelling mulch, plus a wood &/or sour milk trap. I hope the following info helps in deciding which method or combinations to use. Good luck!

1. Strong coffee! "A study in the journal Nature found that slugs and snails are killed when sprayed with a caffeine solution, and that spraying plants with this solution may prevent the slimy mollusks from eating them... The researchers found that large doses of caffeine slowed the snails' heart rates and made contractions irregular." (1) Another study found that "After 96 hours, all of the snails treated with a 0.5% or 2% caffeine solution were dead." (2)

2.Chile Pepper. Capsaicin, the natural "heat" of the chile pepper, makes snails unwilling to cross materials containing the naturally repelling properties of chile pepper." (3)

3. Galic spray: Blend well 1garlic bulb & 1 onion add 1Tbsp cayenne pepper & 1 quart water. Steep ingredients for 1 hr, then strain & add 1 Tbsp dish soap and your non-toxic spray is ready to use. (4)

4.Repellent mulches: Wormwood, prostrate rosemary, basil, rue, acacia bark, and oak leaves are disliked by snails and make good repellent mulches. Wormwood is also effective as a spray.

5. Barriers: Dry, dusty or sharp material can be a barrier to snails, such as hydrated lime, wood ash, sharp sand, crushed egg shells, or diatamaceous earth. "A band 20cms wide and 1 cm high is required. The effectiveness of barriers is reduced when wet so locate them away from watering points. Snail fences may also be made from galvanised metal, window screen wire and similar materials. 30 mesh copper screens can ... prevent climbing, or steel wool can be wound around trestle legs in glass houses." (5)

6.Traps: Place board on ground & scrape off snails when they gather on the underside, &/or place shallow containers sunk into the ground and filled with beer or other fermenting substances such as sour milk, or even "a mixture of water and bakers yeast." (5) Combining both methods by covering part of the container with a board should prevent other creatures from drinking it .

There is also a product called "Sluggo" which contains iron phosphate and can be used around pets and wildlife in vegetable gardens up to harvest & remains effective after rain. (6)

Answer 2

Slug pellets are not good for any wildlife. Hedgehogs and birds eat slugs & snails and so ingest the poison, even small quantities that adhere. Anyway, they have to be renewed after rain. The best control is the natural one. You could encourage mollusc-eating creatures, such as above (and frogs) as well as building the beer traps recommended by gardeners. Susceptible plants like hostas can be surrounded by a really sharp grit that the slugs etc. will not cross.

Answer 3

Yes they do any small animal or even children can eat them and be poisoned. They should not be used. Make a beer trap for them. Or dig a pond near to the area and fill it with frogs as they will eat the slugs for you. A much healthier solution

Answer 4

make a hole put,big enough for whatever container you will be using,(mug glass,or bottle)fill the container with beer,leave it for a while a day or two,after that time you will find the container full of slugs/snails,which will hopefully do the trick without needing to do it too often coz lets face it its gross!!

Answer 5

Dont know..But you could be sitting on a gold mine, why don't you start a snail farm and sell them to the French

Answer 6

slimey les keeps slugs in his y fronts when slimey bob isnt wearin them

Answer 7

I am not sure, as I never used them. I used to put rock-salt round my roses, not to close, of course.

Answer 8

put salt down allover the place....