Great photo seqeunce

I think they were just checking what the other was, or maybe even just accidentally collided. they aren't the most intelligent animals after all.

Here's one for you Xeract, looks like a national slug problem..
http://www.theboltonnews.co.uk/news/bolt...losion.php

Here you have it:

"By far the best option for controlling the slug population is to attract natural predators to your garden - frogs, toads, birds and hedgehogs. Therefore, the inclusion of a pond, log pile and hedgehog home are all excellent ideas."

tibbar, you obviously don't have enough hedgehogs!

Kingfisher

Or not the right class of slug!!!!

Thanks for the link tibbar. Putting any excess slugs on the bird table for free bird food sounds like a good idea. I'm not sure some of the brids we get - especially the tits - could carry some of the larger slugs I've seen this year though!

Here's a further link regarding the slug explosion , note the video link in the right hand corner http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/6958259.stm

The article says: "If it continues to be wet and warm - as long-range forecasts suggest - the infestation could develop into a plague."

Which is worrying to say the least!

There's some good advice in the video though. For farmers and gardeners sake, lets hope it gets cold pretty quickly!

We have a small courtyard garden at work surrounded by all glass windows. It's nice to look out into. I remember I was asked to re-vamp it & I worked for months on it . One night we were unindated with large brown & black slugs so we collected them up & put them in a box , but we had a problem of where to dispose of them. A good idea came so we took them to the rubbish bins in the outer yard, far away from our little garden. When the janitor etc came in the morning they were like a plague of slugs climbing out of the bins as they were slightly ajar & all up the walls they were next to. I have to admit that I kept a low profile & never admitted to it Well I didn't intend to take them home in my car for hedgehogs , would you?

This post was last modified: 22-09-2007 04:55 PM by tibbar.

Don't worry I wouldn't have admitted it either!

I wouldn't worry much about the weather staying warm and wet either, if last week was anything to go by we're going to have a very cold winter.

Hi Bill, glad you tried the beer traps for the slug invasion. I tried my own patent method this May when they first appeared. Being an ex rugby player ( Union ) I collected 4 of them and did some kicking practice ( you never lose the urge ). Good dropkicks ensued and they went for miles straight and true, proving that you never lose it!!!!!. Imagine my surprise when there was a knock at the door tonight and 4 slugs were sat on the doorstep. The biggest one had a sign that said "What did you do that for ??????"

This post was last modified: 23-09-2007 04:57 PM by skippy.

Hi Bill, glad you tried the beer traps for the slug invasion. I tried my own patent method this May when they first appeared. Being an ex rugby player ( Union ) I collected 4 of them and did some kicking practice ( you never lose the urge ). Good dropkicks ensued and they went for miles straight and true, proving that you never lose it!!!!!. Imagine my surprise when there was a knock at the door tonight and 4 slugs were sat on the doorstep. The biggest one had a sign that said "What did you do that for ??????"

You are amazing! You kicked the little slimesters around 22 miles, if I've calculated it correctly.

Kingfisher

It has been quite chilling the last few days. I don't know whether this is just a cold snap but if it stays like this for much longer then I don't think the wet and warm weather needed by the slugs is very likely which is probably a good thing.

Not to be outdone by British slugs, the Pacific Northwest is putting forth some strong entries:



The standard brownish blob on the right, and the slimline racer model on the left.



I don't think there's anything uglier than this slug. I've been told that the colouring helps it blend into the forest litter by making it look like---scat!

Kingfisher

Well there's Kingfisher not letting the 'scat' side down Great description. I think that slug would be quite nice if it wasn't for the big yellow bit , which I presume is it's head & the bit that is described as 'scat' (wonderful word) Pretty ugly though.I quite like the stripy one though!
Since this thread started I have taken more notice of slugs. Although I don't like them ,we don't kill them as we don't have anything of plant value to protect (mostly having shrubs) What I have noticed though is on the slug skating rink on the side of the house ,I have found a few in weird poses. They looked like they were dying & appeared stuck to the floor with the back end & the front end was waving in the air , so to say. I thought that they had got cold & not got enough slime to get back under cover so put water on them but they died anyway. Anyone any ideas why?
No I am not going into slug conservation but just interested to know.

That's a strange observation about your local slugs, tibbar. My guess is that they had gotten cold too. Perhaps water is not enough to take the place of their slime?

As for MY locals, I think the stripey one is not bad for a slug. It's much prettier when it was stretched out. The yellow mottled one (which you correctly identified as to head and foot) is ugly no matter what.

I'm going to have to see if I can identify my slugs, now .

Kingfisher