Slugs - how to get rid of them

The brown slug is an invasive species that was long thought to have originated from Spain, but it is now believed to come from southwestern France. It arrived here with imported soil and plants in the 1970s and is now widely spread. Other slug species can also do some damage to what we plant and grow, but the brown slug is particularly voracious and reproduces at a high rate. A brown slug lays 400 eggs during its lifetime, and all of these become sexually mature slugs after only four to five weeks.

The crucial thing is to tackle the brown slugs early in the season so that they don't have time to reproduce. It may seem brutal, but cutting them in half is the most humane method. It is far more distressing for them to be placed in salt or frozen, which has occasionally been recommended.

Once you have cut the slug, you can leave it there as bait; a while later it is often covered with more slugs keeping it company. They can then suffer the same fate. The brown slug got its nickname 'killer slug' precisely because it eats its own kind.

Another way to get rid of them is beer traps. Brown slugs have a fondness for beer with alcohol, and if you dig down an old milk carton filled with beer, they will be drawn to it and fall in and drown. There are also special slug traps available for purchase.

To get rid of the slugs you don't see, a pesticide containing iron phosphate is good, for example, Ferramol Snegle Effekt. The slug eats the granules, retreats, and dies. The product is effective, yet harmless to other animals. Start early in the season, as soon as temperatures rise above 4 degrees Celsius, and continue until frost arrives.

For those who don't find these methods sufficiently effective, there is another method. Namely, to use nematodes, which are sold under the name Nemaslug. The nematodes (a type of roundworm) penetrate the slug and give it a bacterial infection that kills it – in practice, a poison against brown slugs.

When the dead slug is eaten by other brown slugs, the nematodes spread to them, and so it continues until all the slugs in the area are gone. When the nematodes no longer have a living host, they die.

For those who doubt these methods but still want a super-effective slug killer, there is an ecological and slightly more pleasant alternative, namely the Muscovy duck. These social, clucking individuals are one of the few animals that actually like to eat slimy brown slugs. They also eat other garden snails, fertilize, and provide eggs that are practical to have for baking.

Slugs are mollusks, and therein lies their weakness. They don't like to crawl over areas where they risk drying out. Having slightly coarser sand around beds and growing areas helps a lot. Lime, rock flour, baking soda, ash, and sawdust are also unpleasant for them.

Also, red cedar oil, which contains terpenes, is unpopular among the slugs. Some or several of these materials can be laid in rows as barriers. Just remember to replenish them occasionally, especially after rain.

Some materials should also be used with caution as, in larger quantities, they can damage the plants. Other home remedies against slugs are coffee grounds and mashed rhubarb; they don't kill, but are said to deter.

Slug barriers are also available for purchase in stores, such as twisted metal rods, electrified metal edges, and copper tape. Copper tape deters brown slugs because there is a certain voltage in the metal when they crawl over it. There are also electric slug pickers, although a pointed spade or secateurs often suffices.

There are also slug barriers available for purchase in stores, such as twisted metal rods, electrified metal edges, and copper tape. Copper tape deters brown slugs as there is a certain voltage in the metal when they crawl over it. There are also electric slug pickers, although a pointed spade or secateurs often suffices.

Make sure that the compost always maintains a high temperature, otherwise it becomes perfect for hatching eggs; hot composting tends to be easier to control. The slugs' favorite temperature is around 8-10 degrees Celsius, and they don't like it too hot.

Most slug species are beneficial in the garden and should be there, as they break down dead material into new soil. They can also have other good qualities, and research shows that the so-called leopard slug, for example, readily eats brown slugs, so it is more of a help than a hindrance.

When it comes to getting rid of brown slugs, you don't need to feel guilty – it is, in fact, a species that doesn't really belong in our environment and flora.

The brown slug is often dark brown, but can vary slightly in color, and they are a bit more slimy than other slugs. The slug grows to 7-15 cm and eats almost all types of plants, often semi-decomposed material, tender plants, berries, fruit, lettuce, dahlias, marigolds, and hostas, but also dead animals and members of its own species if the opportunity arises.

We list 13 plants that slugs dislike and rarely venture onto:

1. Beetroot
2. Catmint
3. Phlox
4. Bleeding heart
5. Masterwort
6. Gooseneck loosestrife
7. Poppy
8. Lady's mantle
9. Peonies
10. Lavender
11. Ivy
12. Christmas rose
13. Pelargonium

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