organic gardening

Good slugs and bad slugs - read all about them here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/nature/animals/features/291feature1.shtml

 

Although I cannot recall where currently due to I have read a fair bit of further info on slug idents and their habits. I really do think that the issue of slug and snail damage deserves our attention, as the 'some legs good, no legs bad' philosophy helps nobody. Perhaps a 'GC Working Committee on Yucky Slimey Things' might help in the quest for 'Rights for Meat Eating Molluscs'.

 

Anyone know why we (us, human type) eat snails but not slugs? Seems they look and feel pretty similar and they 'walk' around about the same mph so if it be possible it may be a good way to keep the numbers down. After all, they do look delicious, don't they! Oh yumeee!!
Royster

 

Great link Hornbeam
Really fascinating. I was always under the (wrong) impression that all slugs and snails are bad. Some of the info on there's a real eye opener - especially the bit about 50 slugs exerting the strength of a blacksmiths bicep :eek: and being able to get out of a sealed plastic bag! Will take a lot more interest in them from now on.
As for eating slugs Royster that's just minging :eek: :D :D

 

I agree with Royster- it's very puzzling. What is it that persuades anyone that the addition of a shell makes a mollusc edible? :eek:

Contrary to popular opinion hedgehogs don't eat a great many slugs or snails, see here:-
http://www.britishhedgehogs.org.uk/FAQS/the_basic_facts.htm
It is a sad fact that one of the major causes of death amongst hedgehogs is lungworm, which is transmitted to them by infected slugs and snails.
I dislike killing anything in my garden, and try to use repellents rather than killing things, although I do kill lily beetles and flies.
There is a considerable amount of evidence that metaldehyde [the active ingredient in blue slug pellets] does not harm hedgehogs when they eat slugs and snails killed by it, and the reason I don't use blue pellets is because it kills the slugsand snails, not because it kills hedgehogs. However since hedgehogs are in decline and slugs and snails definitely are not, I have been thinking of using the blue pellets again as I would rather kill slugs and snails, than allow the hedgehogs to die from lungworm contracted by eating them.
Here is one article on hedgehogs and metaldehyde:
http://www.lonza.com/meta/en/downloads0.-ParSys-0004-DownloadFile.tmp/hedgehogs.pdf#search=%22hedgehogs%20slugs%20lungworm%22
There are quite a few more supporting this unpopular theory!

 

It would be easier to believe if the website hosting it didn't belong to a company making..er..erm... yup you guessed it...metaldehyde

Nice if it was true though. What about all the dead thrushes and frogs that we have been told about, is that also not accurate? I have no idea.

I for one have never heard of anyone actually losing a pet to metaldehyde, thankfully, so I am not terribly scared of it, though I understand it is the biggest cause of canine poisoning seen by vets (not so much the sprinkled pellets - they eat the stuff in its packet that was left accidentally lying around); but I have greatly reduced the frequency of using it anyway and without any noticeable increase in slug damage.

 

Interesting and I await Poppy's response as she treats hedgehogs poisoned and paralysed by blue pellets.

 

:rolleyes: On the subject of slug edibility, I had to laugh when I found this method of slug disposal:
http://www.cat.org.uk/ihateslugs/bugtheslug.tmpl?key=PR
Please scroll down a little to the contribution by Peter Symons! Here is his solution-
Okay, you wont like this, but its true so worth airing.I am in the habit of swallowing large slugs whole. I dont particularly like the experience, but I must confess it doesnt bother me now as much as it did at first. I dont suppose it radically controls their numbers, but it transposes their status from pest to emergency food item.Should the vast house of cards that is western civilisation ever tumble I will be plump and fit when everyone else is chewing their teeth to fragments on the last few tins in tescos, at leqast thats the idea.For some reason I cant properly explain I believe that the leopard slugs you get in British gardens exhibit aphrodisiac properties, but I doubt anyone will want to investigate this further. Anyone who thinks I'm weird should think about Oysters etc. which are essentially the same proposition.Of course, if your readers balk at the thought of consuming slugs they should seriously consider educating their children to perform said culinary cull. Children will willingly eat slugs with a little encouragement and, although I'm not sure, I hazard that said ubiquitous molluscs are a good deal more nutritious than the vast majority of prepackaged foods.If anyone you know can think of a good reason why me and my children should not occupy a slot immediately above garden slugs in the food chain I would be very grateful for a warning !Yours replete,Peter Symons
Operations Director
Section 1-1 Engineering

His entry is dated 2002. I hope he is still alive and well!
:D :D :D

 

We all seem to be obsessed with eating (or not eating as the case may be) slugs! This is about the third thread on this subject. Can you imagine, just out doing a bit of gardening, finding one, rinsing it under the tap and popping it in your mouth! Horrors! I wouldn't eat a slug, a snail or an oyster, yuk!

 

Dont think your supposed to wash them LOL,just eat them with the grit on perhaps with a bit of pepper :D :D

 

macleaf, yuk. to slugs, snails frogs, and worms

 

Nothing wrong with frogs Fancy

 

Good one, walnut, I have one reclining on a leaf in our mini tower waterfall!

 

OK snails are good - covered in garlic butter, oysters are good with lemon, slugs are a bl...y pest and can be left to the birds, hedgehogs etc. Everyone to his or her own.

I cover my veg plot in blue pellets and get rid of the problem.

I like my veg slug free and if that is a major problem for anyone then I advise get a life, there are far worse things happening than this

B