[nilsatis1964]

Has anyone else noticed a severe reduction in slug numbers?  I do not know if it is because my plot is better kept now so less hiding places but slug damage is definitely down on previous years.

[compostqueen]

It's the dry weather. Wait til it rains, you'll have thousands 

[kermit]

Plenty of rain up here for over a month, and still hardly any slugs.  Not complaining, usually we're infested with the blighters!  Hope, whatever has happened to them, that its terminal and painful 

[DD.]

They froze over winter.

[Benandbill]

I've noticed a lack of them as well, allthough I've still put a few pellets around the place just in case they pop up as we're getting quite a few rain showers these days, it's more like I thought April would be. 

On the sublect of pellets, is there a more organic  / enviro friendly way of keeping them away?  I've heard a saucer of beer is meant to do the trick?

[webby139]

I've noticed a lack of them as well, allthough I've still put a few pellets around the place just in case they pop up as we're getting quite a few rain showers these days, it's more like I thought April would be. 

On the sublect of pellets, is there a more organic  / enviro friendly way of keeping them away?  I've heard a saucer of beer is meant to do the trick?

I heard that as well - but everytime I attempt to do it - the beer looks too good to waste...

Pellets it is then 

[stompy]

I use the ok for organic growing pellets.
They are not as effecttive as the thermaldahyde (i think) based ones but they are still very good.

Had this a few years back, the weather was dry through spring and early summer but as the wetter weather came mid to late summer so did the slugs.

As DD mentions though we have had 2 bad winters so you never know, they may be generally down in numbers this season because of freezing eggs (etc).

[lancashiregardeninggal]

I think its was down to the cold winter also - I have had a lot less damage from slugs this year - I picked my first orange one off one of my tubs of petunias the other night - being organic I don't use anything at all - same with the snails

[BarrowBoy]

i dont seem to find many on the plot but keep finding huge slugs in the green house, i cant work out how they are getting in. the door is closed, i have a meter or so path of wood chips around the perimeter of the greenhouse which im told they dont like to crawl over.

[oldcow]

I have a ton of tiny ones; they're driving me mad... But yes, I'm not seeing many of the large ones this year. Yet.

[dexyblue]

yes I have but on picking some strawberries last night loads of the little * on them so I think they are on the way. Time for the pellets 

[potatogrower]

they want damp warm conditions. if area is open to sun and dry then they go and hide somwhere. just happy they are not around.

[Benandbill]

I heard that as well - but everytime I attempt to do it - the beer looks too good to waste...

Pellets it is then         
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Pellets before 12 O'Clock, beer after!! 

[LilacSandy]

Snails in my plastic greenhouses are driving me mad, every time I clear them out another lot appears, the birds nesting in the ivy are happy though as I throw them on the conservatory roof and they grab them for the chicks.

[Zippy]

Slugs travel and feed more at night when it is cooler and damper so do your watering early morning before sun-up and the sunshine will keep the slugs at bay while the plants use the water in their more productive day phase.