Apparently the local (rare and endangered) San Francisco Garter Snake is a slug and snail specialist. I have no idea if the common local salamander eats baby slugs, I frequently find it under pots. Robert On Sun, Aug 20, 2023 at 12:39 PM David Schaeffer via pbs < pbs@lists.pacificbulbsociety.net> wrote: > A shame they're so uncommon around here, but Northern red-bellied snakes > (*Storeria occipitomaculata*) are specialist slug feeders. I believe > DeKay's brown snake (*S. dekayi*) will also dine on slugs and is a bit more > common. > > - Dave > > On Sun, Aug 20, 2023, 3:27 PM Mike Rummerfield via pbs < > pbs@lists.pacificbulbsociety.net> wrote: > > > I like Coin's idea. I will try it. (photo did not come through - I > > believe you can only do that now via the forum) > > > > Here in the usually moist Pacific Northwest, specifically western > > Washington, slugs, both native and introduced, are a perennial, constant > > problem. However, this year the population of slugs is the lowest I've > > experienced in memory in the last 25 years --- maybe due to the fact > we've > > had no appreciable precipitation in my area since the end of March --- > it's > > a mediterranean climate, so summer drought is to be expected, but not of > > such a long duration. > > > > I have found using beer in containers with a little depth, i.e. cat food > > cans, cottage cheese containers, buried in the ground to near the rim > *is* > > effective. But two caveats: it means going around and emptying the > traps > > of dead slugs on a semi-regular basis; and this method also captures and > > drowns beneficial predatory ground beetles. > > > > I've also found that corrugated cardboard laid on the ground is favored > by > > slugs who hide under it during the day, and can be dispatched. They seem > > to have an affinity for the corrugated cardboard over any other covering > > (wooden boards are also effective, but less so). Of course, it needs to > > remain at least minimally moist under the cardboard to be useful as a > > trap. Not attractive, but *is* effective. > > > > Since I use only organic methods in all aspects on my property, I do use > a > > slug bait that is certified (OMRI) organic. The brand I use is 'Sluggo' > - > > available at most nurseries and seasonably at local Costco(s). > > The active ingredient is iron phosphate. It is claimed to be > > nonpoisonous to all other creatures and this has been my experience. > > Unfortunately, it is inadvertently also an expensive mouse and bird food > - > > although it does not harm them, nor my cat who eats the mice. A note: > > 'Sluggo Plus' *does *contain spinosad (also certified as organic), > > which helps control earwigs, cutworms, and sow bugs, but also is > > poisonous to other non-targeted insects, including honeybees that might > > come in contact with it on the ground. > > > > Regarding geophytes and slugs - slugs do eat the flowers of Galanthus > and > > Narcissus, but usually leave the leaves alone. To my surprise, and > dismay, > > slugs do favor the leaves and flowers of amaryllids. Ditto for Tulipa, > and > > less so on Crocus and irids. > > > > This year's extended, hot, dry weather has caused an unusually high > > population of spider mites on many plants, including some not usually > > affected by this pest. > > > > If you've made it this far in this email, it is further than I would have > > made. > > Best wishes to all for a prodigious gardening season. > > Mike > > Western Washington, cool mediterranean > > > > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > > pbs mailing list > > pbs@lists.pacificbulbsociety.net > > http://lists.pacificbulbsociety.net/cgi-bin/… > > Unsubscribe: <mailto:pbs-unsubscribe@lists.pacificbulbsociety.net> > > PBS Forum latest: > > https://pacificbulbsociety.org/pbsforum/index.php/… > > > _______________________________________________ > pbs mailing list > pbs@lists.pacificbulbsociety.net > http://lists.pacificbulbsociety.net/cgi-bin/… > Unsubscribe: <mailto:pbs-unsubscribe@lists.pacificbulbsociety.net> > PBS Forum latest: > https://pacificbulbsociety.org/pbsforum/index.php/… > _______________________________________________ pbs mailing list pbs@lists.pacificbulbsociety.net http://lists.pacificbulbsociety.net/cgi-bin/… Unsubscribe: <mailto:pbs-unsubscribe@lists.pacificbulbsociety.net> PBS Forum https://…