Snail control

[John85]

Is there a bio control for snails as there is nemaslug for controlling slugs?The problem with the pellets is that once the snails are on a plant they don't" come down" to feed on the pellets.

[Heinie]

John,

I normally have a huge problem with slugs and snails during winter and have tried a number of ideas over an extended period. None of these work well except the Confidor (active ingredient Imidacloprid) with good success. But with every toxic product I have to consider my two Yorkshire Terriers around the garden.

I recently read something that excited me for the control of slugs, snails and some other insects we do not want in the garden. It is a very simple method but yet to be tested in my garden. We are going into our rainy winter season soon and I will try this method. The method is to cut a slice of cucumber and place it in a clean used  aluminum pie holder or any other aluminum container. The chemical reaction between the cucumber and aluminum gives some sort of gas that snails and many insects do not like and they do not come near the "trap".

I have collected a number of aluminum holders and will soon be buying my own cucumber for the test. I will advise here as soon as I can decide if it works or not. I am hoping that a few gardeners will try it too.

[Gail]

Try one of these;

[Ezeiza]

Years ago, the controlling method was to soak well a piece of burlap or other coarse fabric and leave it at the late evening in a shady place, well extended over the ground. Next morning you could find lots of them sheltered under the fabric. They were trampled on and the next evening the soaking fabric was placed in a different spot until all were killed. They can travel a good distance to find the wet spot.

Nowadays we use the bran/methaldehyde baits and this are extremely attractive to them and can wipe them all. Several formulas, but some remain active for 20 days in the open. To make full use of it if you place small amounts under a broken clay pot, tiles or couple of bricks, the product is in good condition as a bait for a few weeks. But,this bran based formula can be eaten by pets, which is fatal to them. This Is hearsay as I never saw any cat or dog showing any interest in it.

[John85]

Gail
Ducks eat slugs indeed but my question was about snails and I have never seen one of my ducks eat a snail.Do you have a special type with a reinforced beak.I better try a tame thrush!!!

[Ezeiza]

I have seen ducks eat slugs and snails, whole.

[Heinie]

My neighbour has a pair of ducks but I think they lost their appetite for snails in their own yard. They fly all over during the day and often use my pool for their bathroom activities.

[Ezeiza]

Now that you mention it, there are snails that must be poisonous somehow. Snails used in fish tanks to clean the glass are not eaten by birds and they can propagate to the million, after they end in gardens after a careless cleanup.

[Gail]

My Muscovies happily eat big snails whole.  The balis used to as well but I had to crush a few first to demonstrate that there is meat inside.  The little black east indian duck eats the small snails but can't manage the big ones.

[Gerry Webster]

I wonder how long metaldehyde will remain available since the publication of reports of it getting into  ground water (presumably from agricultural use). I used to find methiocarb rather more effective but that has not been available for years. Probably a good thing since I believe it is rather nasty stuff.

[Ezeiza]

Not for long if used as a solid bait. Liquid baits are of course easily leached into the ground.

There was a good deal of research into using iron phosphate to kill them (slugs and snails, not ducks) but not much is known these days. Same with caffeine.

Parasites in the slugs and snails are passed on to the ducks and chicken and in a confined small backyard of present time I wonder if this is not also a risk to owners.

[Maren]

Hi,

I came across Ferramol a couple of years ago and have been using it since. This is the blurb (and before you ask, no, I am not an agent for them):

"General Information - Ferramol Slug Killer is an innovative slug and snail bait. It contains the active ingredient ferric phosphate, which naturally occurs in the environment. Ferric phosphate is transformed in the soil by micro organisms into iron and phosphate where it can be used as a plant nutrient. Certified for Organic Use by the Organic Farmers and Growers Association."

It seems to work quite well.

[Gail]

Parasites in the slugs and snails are passed on to the ducks and chicken and in a confined small backyard of present time I wonder if this is not also a risk to owners.

There is an increasing incidence of lungworm in dogs as a result of coming into contact with infected slugs/snails (http://www.lungworm.co.uk/scripts/pages/en/home.php ) I've not heard of any problems from a human point of view though.

[Ezeiza]

Maren, that is the product. Are slugs killed overnight like with the metaldehyde baits?

Fortunately, Gail. In Patagonia there used to be millions of sheep and dogs were fed with raw sheep entrails and this was the way they got the parasites that were later passed on to humans. It was a disaster and a widespread epidemics. Not that slugs were involved but the chain food is straightforward and infection of poultry by eating slugs and snails is well known in most parts of the world.

[David Nicholson]

They have grazed off two pots of newly germinated seedlings from Erethronium 'White Beauty' in my seed frame. Vengeance will be sought