Slug Census?

[Richard]

According to todays national newspapers, we have 15 billion slugs this year - a record and this will have an ongoing effect on crop damage and increased prices.

But, how do they know? Has someone counted them?

What's odd is that only half an hour before reading this I said "We haven't got so many slugs this year"!

Anyone anything to add ref their gardens?

[wendy]

We have said recently we haven't as many slugs this year.
Strange that
Wendt

[PK]

I rarely come across a slug at all in the garden and this year is no exception. Snails are a different story. Plenty of those but again no more this year than usual despite the damp conditions.

[Richard]

Could be more fuel to the fire for us to grow more our own vegetables.
Rising prices because of weather and slugs! At least we know where ours came from, we have control on their destiny and....

they taste better anyway!

[Emmamoo]

I've only had a garden since May as I moved from a flat but I have noticed that my magnolia tree is being chomped away by smoething and that there seem to be a lot of snails and slugs in the garden generally.

We've also got a lot fo slow worms

[AnnaB]

Normal amount of slugs this year but an increase of snails - the thrushes are not doing a very good job so I intervene.

[PK]

One thing I do to try and reduce the snail population is early each spring, before the foliage of of the borders is fully emerged, I begin snail patrols at night collecting up all I can. I think if you can eliminate as many as you can at this time of the year then they won't be able to reproduce and so there will be less later in the summer. You have to be systematic and regular and remember to get new batteries for your torch.

[wendy]

My chickens love slugs and snails. Maybe that's why I don't see too many this year.
Wendy

[Richard]

Slugs and snails are associated with 'bad lines' (underground streams etc), which is why you may find loads in one particular place and none in another.

[AnnaB]

New batteries for your torch? I need new batteries every evening that's why we don't go out....
Wendy I didn't know they would eat snails and slugs....the latter I
kept them away from as one of the papers carried an article on chickens and said that one of his had died after eating one.

[Richard]

I've seen mine eating them with no ill affect. I think it's when you've put slug poison down it's a worry.
What I don't do is to give them slugs. If they dig one up and want to eat it, sobeit.

[PK]

My sister saw her free-ranging hens made quick work of a frog once. I think they can be carnivorous given the chance - in fact anything that moves.

[wendy]

Well Anna, my lot should have their feet up in the air. The amount they have eaten LOL
Yes, they made short work of the frogs as well. Dear little souls.
Wendy

[Willow]

Well I've a huge increase in slugs in my flower beds this year.. Some soft leaved shrubs have been stripped.. The increase could be because I havent used slug pellets because of our chooks. The morning after our bbq, the path between the flower beds was a mess of countless squashed slugs.. Our chooks loved them for their first few days of freedom but wont touch a slug now..

[derra]

We have the most disgusting slugs here in Ireland, they are huge and can be up to 6'' long. There are bigger ones that are brown and orange striped with orange under bellies. My girls eat a fair amount of them but this year i have a major infestation. I can,t put down pellets cos of the hens and the huge amount of wild birds here. I tried the beer method but my hens insist on drinking it! I,m sure beer isnt good for them