Slugs have no bones. In fact, they don't even have a hard shell like an insect. This means they are capable of squeezing through tiny cracks up to half its size.
Pouring salt on a slug will kill it in a matter of seconds, however, it generally takes quite a bit of salt to do so. The salt kills the slug through osmosis – it draws water from inside the slug and rapidly dehydrates it.
The slugs have squeezed themselves under the front/back door and have entered your house. A family of slugs will also use any cutouts in walls/boards in your home to get in – holes made for cables, for example.
The slug breathes by opening and shutting a hole in its mantle, called the pneumostome. A hollow space inside the mantle acts as a lung so that the slug can take in oxygen from the air.
Adults are active at night and on cloudy or foggy days while seeking hiding places on sunny days. Slugs prefer to burrow into the soil, up to six feet deep, for the cool and moist environment. Only 5% of slugs are above ground at any one time.
Mulches such as fresh soot, sharp sand, gravel (inset, below) and products made from mineral granules, crushed shells or wool all deter gastropod movement across the soil. ✤ What they do The barriers are made of substances that slugs and snails are less likely to cross.
Plants that slugs hate
As well as those with tough leaves or woody stems that they find difficult to chew. The robust lacy fronds of shade-loving ferns and thick leaves of Geranium, Bergenia (Elephant's ears) and Saxifraga × urbium (London pride) are all too thick for them to sink their teeth into.
Some sea slugs can live without their bodies. Cut their heads off, and the noggins can still survive for months, scientists recently discovered.
Slugs and snails hide in damp places during the day. They stay under logs and stones or under ground cover. They also hide under planters and low decks. At night they come out to eat.
Most slugs feed at night, and the slime trails, if present, can alert you to the level of activity. Damage is usually most severe during warm humid periods. Slugs can make a meal of a wide range of vegetables and ornamental plants, especially seedlings and other soft growth.
Slugs have no bones. In fact, they don't even have a hard shell like an insect. This means they are capable of squeezing through tiny cracks up to half its size. They can also travel up vertical walls and surfaces and upside down.
Door Seals
Of course a substantial gap under any exterior door means that slugs can waltz right in looking for a tasty meal. This seal may look a little odd but it does the job and it's easy to install – just slide it under the door.
They're attracted to food and moisture and love to eat vegetables and flowers. Since slugs and snails like damp conditions, some people might find themselves with a slug infestation in and around bathrooms, including the shower, shower floor or toilet.
Whilst many humans adore the rich smell of lavender in their garden and around their home, garden-dwelling molluscs will be turned off. Strategically placing lavender in the garden could help protect other plants from slug and snail attacks, creating a whiffy barrier against the gastropods.
Coffee grounds contain caffeine, which is toxic to slugs and snails. When these creatures ingest caffeine, it can kill them. So, using ground coffee as a barrier around your plants may help to keep them safe from these critters. Of course, you'll want to use Organic Coffee if you're going to try this method.
As vinegar is mildly acidic, it will kill any snails or slugs it touches. However, vinegar is toxic to vegetation, so only spray snails or slugs that haven't yet reached your plants.
Bare hoed beds or deep beds - pros and cons
Mulches attract slugs with food and shelter and they also shelter many slug predators. Bare beds make their lives hazardous if they are regularly hoed. Barriers are easier to use on bare beds, but not impossible on deep mulch beds.
Slugs and snails love many of the plants that are typically cultivated in raised beds. This is why they usually find their way into these beds.
Slugs are active for most of the year but are a particular problem in spring, when there's plenty of young growth for them to eat. They are mostly active after dark, especially when it's warm and damp. In hot, dry weather they bury themselves in the soil or hide in cool, dark places to avoid dehydrating.
You can kill your captives by squashing them. If that is unappealing, put captured slugs and snails in a container filled with soapy water to kill them. Flush captive slugs (not snails) down the toilet or drain the liquid from the jar and dump the contents in the trash.
Slugs also sparked a debate over whether they are dangerous to touch and harm humans. The answer is yes. They might appear to be innocent and touchable, but they carry a variety of parasites. The most common is the rat lungworm or Angiostrongylus cantonensis, and its infection can lead to severe issues.
Is it cruel to put salt on slugs? Slugs have pain receptors, so salt could be really painful for them. Some studies have shown that mollusks like slugs and snails still can feel pain, so coating them in salt and dehydrating them isn't the most humane.
Nematodes are the best way to kill slugs naturally – simply water onto the soil around your plants and let them get to work. Salt kills slugs naturally, however, it takes a lot of salt and should not be applied near your plants. Other methods to kill slugs naturally include beer traps and vinegar sprays.
Spraying WD40 on the outside of pots or planters will make them too slippery for slugs to climb. This can be effective for pots and planters that sit on a path or patio, but should be kept away from soil or other plants.
– Wet Soil
There is nothing that snails like better than wet and soggy soil. They are naturally inclined to moist places because they are opposed to dehydration. Poor watering habits are detrimental to the lawn, and attracting slugs is one of them.