Where do
Slugs live in dark damp places or underground. They need persistent moisture to prevent drying out. Cool weather, rain and fog are perfect for slugs. However, in a long dry spell, slugs can encase themselves in a papery cocoon-like structure and attach themselves to a wall or a tree and wait it out.
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.
Slugs dry out easily in the sun, so they typically feed at night and seek shelter in moist, shaded areas during the day. Flint suggests removing these sheltered spots, such as piles of weeds and leaves.
Slug love dark places, and they enter homes at night because they're dark and very inviting. They also come in because houses have moisture problems – slugs love moist environments! Moisture in the home is usually caused by a damp problem and can be sorted out.
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.
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.
It takes about a year for slugs to mature into adults, which can live for about two years.
Gardeners are urged not to kill slugs and snails or resort to pest control pellets this summer to help save wildlife. The gastropods are often branded as pests by keen gardeners for nibbling holes through leaves of vegetables, fruits and plants.
Slugs and snails are very important. They provide food for all sorts of mammals, birds, slow worms, earthworms, insects and they are part of the natural balance. Upset that balance by removing them and we can do a lot of harm. Thrushes in particular thrive on them!
Slugs remain active throughout the year, unlike snails, which are dormant during autumn and winter. Warmer weather, combined with damp conditions greatly increases their activity. Slugs are most active after dark or in wet weather.
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.
Snails and slugs are most active at night and on cloudy or foggy days. On sunny days, they seek hiding places out of the heat and bright light. Often the only clues to their presence are their silvery trails and plant damage. During cold weather, snails and slugs hibernate in the topsoil.
As much as we hate them for the damage they do to our garden plants, we need to recognize slugs as an important part of the ecosystems because many species are decomposers and feed on fallen leaves, dead insects and dead worms. They are also food for snakes, toads, turtles and birds.
Slugs will sleep on and off for several hours at a time but then might stay awake for 30 hours without a break. Slugs may also hibernate, depending on the weather conditions. They will stay active when temperatures remain above 5 degrees Celsius / 41 degrees Fahrenheit.
Two key things attract slugs: food and moisture. Unfortunately for gardeners, just about every plant – vegetables and flowers in particular – can serve as food for slugs. They are definitely not picky eaters! Any area that stays moist during the day or during lengthy hot spells will be attractive to slugs.
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.
Garlic, Lawn Chamomile, chives. Some plants repel most slugs and snails and these may have a deterrent effect when planted alongside or used to make an extract. Many gardeners swear by garlic as a natural pest control. Some say chives are effective it the leaves are tied around vulnerable plants; sounds fiddly.
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.
Some slugs lay up to 500 eggs per year, which mature in three to six months and start laying eggs themselves. Left unchecked, that's hundreds of new pests each year, multiplied by every slug or snail in your garden.
Slug and snail eggs are laid year-round, generally in damp, dark places such as under trays, boxes, pots, and compost bags, as well as in soil and in compost heaps or bins. Eggs that are laid in soil or compost heaps may be more widely scattered as they are usually found when cultivating soil or emptying out compost.
THE SLUG has a moist skin, so when you sprinkle salt on to it a strong brine quickly forms. The process of osmosis then begins, by which water is drawn from a weak solution (in this case the body fluid of the slug) into a stronger one. Result: the slug dies a lingering death by dehydration.
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.
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.
Line your borders with upturned eggshells. The sharp edges will stop slugs sliding past as they don't like the feeling. Create a rough area around your plants with sand or gravel to make it harder for the slugs to reach the plants they have their hungry eyes on.