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Post by lottielady on Sept 26, 2006 13:22:04 GMT
Not sure if this is the right place for this or on the wildlife board. I have loads of frogs and toads in my garden and pond, but I also have loads of slugs - I'm not entirely convinced that frogs and toads eat them at all! I have a Hosta next to the pond and it gets shredded every year.
LL x
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Post by sweetleaf on Sept 26, 2006 13:57:19 GMT
Yes they do, yours are just lazy, lol
;D
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Post by rhodadendron on Sept 26, 2006 14:14:09 GMT
I don't think my frog eats slugs. He is a lazy beggar. He does nothing but hang around in my well-like water feature and turn nasty when I want to change the water. He was sat on the rock I put in to make sure he could get out (as there is an overhang of bricks onto the well). Anyway eventually I had to give him a poke to make sure he was still alive.
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Post by lottielady on Sept 26, 2006 14:16:14 GMT
Typical that is..tut! I've got lazy dogs too!  LL x |
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Post by Susie Snowdrop on Sept 26, 2006 15:43:18 GMT
I was told by my lecturer at college that slugs don't really have any natural preditors because they taste very bitter! No, which idiot found out that slugs taste bitter  |
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Post by sleepysunday on Sept 26, 2006 15:52:07 GMT
Someone ought to tell your lecturer about birds, and hedgehogs, and frogs, and nematodes, and...
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Post by sleepysunday on Sept 26, 2006 15:54:31 GMT
And foxes
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Post by Plocket on Sept 26, 2006 16:55:57 GMT
Lottie I think you need chickens - apparently they like slugs!!!
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Post by madonplants on Sept 26, 2006 17:04:16 GMT
Frogs love slugs, normally the smaller ones, but the frogs will get the numbers down. They will attack the slugs at night. I remember the first pond I built. After I built it I soon had 3 frogs and one large toad. After a year, I hardly saw a slug again. I still had the occasional hosta damage, but not much to write about.
Keith
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Post by lottielady on Sept 26, 2006 17:05:24 GMT
Frogs love slugs, normally the smaller ones, but the frogs will get the numbers down. They will attack the slugs at night. I remember the first pond I built. After I built it I soon had 3 frogs and one large toad. After a year, I hardly saw a slug again. I still had the occasional hosta damage, but not much to write about. Keith Would you like to swap your frogs for mine please??? LL x |
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Post by lottielady on Sept 26, 2006 17:08:03 GMT
Lottie I think you need chickens - apparently they like slugs!!! I can see it now - Lottie chasing dogs chasing chickens chasing slugs - and the frogs all laughing!  LL x |
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Post by Susie Snowdrop on Sept 26, 2006 17:21:46 GMT
Maybe your frogs are veggies Lottie |
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Post by Plocket on Sept 26, 2006 17:38:15 GMT
PML Lottie Lady!!! You'll have to work out a rota: Lottie in the house, dogs in the garden, chickens in a coop. Then dogs in the house, chickens in the garden, Lottie in the coop........ Perhaps not!!! ;D
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Post by madonplants on Sept 26, 2006 21:33:36 GMT
Frogs love slugs, normally the smaller ones, but the frogs will get the numbers down. They will attack the slugs at night. I remember the first pond I built. After I built it I soon had 3 frogs and one large toad. After a year, I hardly saw a slug again. I still had the occasional hosta damage, but not much to write about. Keith Would you like to swap your frogs for mine please??? LL x I would love to, but I think the present owners might have a say in it. Sorry, we have moved, several times since then! Can you get the rest of the wildlife to join in, especially thrushes? If not next spring get some nematodes and bring the numbers down. Don't kill any of those black beetles as they love them as well. Don't use slug pellets, as they will kill or harm any frogs that eat the slugs that eat the pellets. Does that sound right, it is getting late!? We have only recently moved here and I couldn't believe how many snails we had. I think we are winning with them, but it will take time if you want to do it the natural way. ............................................................................................................................I will stop now!!!! Night night Keith |
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Post by madonplants on Sept 26, 2006 21:36:53 GMT
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Post by lottielady on Sept 26, 2006 22:09:11 GMT
Thanks for that Keith - Well I don't use slug pellets, and I only occasionally see a thrush in my garden. I have blackbirds but they seem to like snails and leave the slugs - I think they are stupid as slugs are much less work for them - I have a little log pile for beetles to hide in too. I think I am just going to have to accept that I have got lazy frogs!
LL x
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Post by madonplants on Sept 27, 2006 10:12:50 GMT
Lottie, are you upto going out three nights in a row, with a torch and hunt out the blighters and dispose of them? You will be amazed at the difference this could make. How you dispose of them, is upto you. I use the find and cut them up mode of disposing of them! It seems to get some pent up aggression out of me and I make sure the penknife gets a thorough clean and oil afterwards. You sound as though you are doing the right things, just maybe take time. Thrushes and blackbirds will stay in your garden if they have cover, nesting sites (not always possible), food, water and a smashing stone. By this I mean a largish smooth stone for them to bash the snails on, but it must be sited sort of out in the open so they can see cats etc coming. This is a great sight to see. When they sort your snails out maybe they will have some of your slugs. It is a joint thing slug bashing, frogs need help, and you will never get rid of them all, while you have nice plants in the garden. There are hostas like Sum and Substance that are more slug resistant so could that be a way to go? Just remember, like us that frogs don't like to eat just slugs. They also like small worms and insects. My eldest son loves Macaroni cheese, but he wouldn't like to eat it everyday (well???), as a) he would get bored of it and b) he would get malnourished. Anyway hope this helps.
Keith
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Post by lottielady on Sept 27, 2006 18:46:42 GMT
Thanks Keith - perhaps that's the way to go - but I can't cut them up Yuk! I'll get some beer in and let them go happy!
LL x
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Post by madonplants on Sept 27, 2006 21:37:45 GMT
Not many people can Lottie. I read somewhere recently (maybe on here!) that you can have a tub of strong salted water and place them in. When it is full put the lid on and through away. I prefer my way, as it is quicker for the slug!!!!! I must admit, my wife hates me doing it, but she knows it needs to be done. In the dark you don't see it that much. Use a torch to find a slug, aim the knife, turn the torch off and spike/cut up! Sorry maybe I shouldn't have been so descriptive!!! Beer traps do work, just make sure they are set high enough so our friend the ground beetle can't get in and drown. Cheap beer is the best as well, don't know why! Good luck!
Keith
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Post by lottielady on Sept 28, 2006 21:38:30 GMT
Use a torch to find a slug, aim the knife, turn the torch off and spike/cut up! Sorry maybe I shouldn't have been so descriptive!!! Keith  LL x |
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Post by madonplants on Sept 29, 2006 8:34:11 GMT
Thought you would like that. It is a quick death for the slug and it makes you feel so much better. If you bring the numbers down, then the natural way will take over. I normally only need to do this once (the three day thing) and then I hardly see them again. I still get a little damage, but I can live with that!
Keith
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Post by Deleted on Sept 29, 2006 20:01:23 GMT
Ive not had as many slugs this year, i have got more frogs, im not too keen on frogs but can tolerate them as long as they dont jump, then i run, silly i know.
If i do find any slugs and snails i throw them into my neighbors garden, its full of weeds so she cant see them.
Well i get her weed seeds so she can have my slugs.
Sorry i know this is naughty but i cant help it.
Regards karenwl
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Post by Deleted on Sept 30, 2006 0:07:00 GMT
My frogs in the pond (and those that can be bothered!) will eat the slugs and snails in their general vicinity if of a small enough size. Full grown slugs they won't touch with a bargepole!! Have I got wimpy frogs?  |
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