Hi All,
I'm having a rather serious slug attack the last couple of weeks and could
use a few pointers on making a slug trap baited with beer. I don't think
my garden will make it if I try to wait for dryer weather. I guess I'm
normally a wait and see sort, but these guys are killing me. When living
in the San Francisco area, I used to use copper to surround my raised beds
with good results. However, these slugs are definately in the boxes
already. I've found many tiny slugs which would have an easy time evading
copper barriers in the heavy mulch and all. My first try at a beer trap
failed to catch any slugs, despite the obvious slug trails all over, and
the fact that I've found and squished many by hand at night. Can't stay up
all night for squishing, so I'd better figure out a better way to build a
trap. What sort of container does one normally use to catch baby slugs? I
think my bait was okay. I used 2 tsp flour, warm water and a sticky dolop
of Veg-X (Brewer's Yeast Extract). We caught many ants and flying bugs,
but no slugs. Thanks for any ideas!
Regards, Laurie
Wappingers Falls, NY
Thanks Lorna and Kevin for the quick replies on slug trap design. Looks
like the kids and I have a project for this afternoon, and we can test a
couple of different types. We've got eight 3.5x4 beds and five other
planted areas under attack, so I guess we'll be busy!
Regards, Laurie
Wappingers Falls, NY
Hello,
I too am being envaded by slugs. I used the escar-go and it killed the
adults but the babies are decimating my cauliflowers and broccoli and
cabbages.
I am going out later and I am going to buy a big box of D.E. diatomaeous
Earth.
I hope this helps. Could i use wood ashes I tried garden grade powdered
limestone.
I need help too!!!
I hope i get some brassicas this year.
Smitty Connecticut zone six and we have had 2 days of sunshine in one
week.
all wet!!
slug paradise
On Fri, 26 May 2000 10:15:16 -0400 Ian Stoba & Laurie Mandigo-Stoba
I asked God for all things so that I could enjoy life.
He gave me life so I could enjoy all things.
Dear Laurie
I use plastic beer mugs.... I ask the Bar Lady at the local Yacht Club
to save used ones for me. (Asking her to save beer bottle drainings
would be a bit much!!) I put one inside another, and dig a hole to set
both of them in, with the lip at ground level. The reason for using TWO
beer cups is that you can easily lift the inner one to dump out the
snails before they start to rot. When you lift the inner mug, the outer
mug (still in place) prevents the hole from collapsing.
I fill the mugs about 1/2 full of the beer or synthetic beer, or wine
dregs solution. Works great.
The question is now: How many do you need? I don't know what the
"coverage area" of one such trap would be.....probably a 4' radius, but
this is a guess. You should have reasonably good luck if you plant them
on 5' centers.
Ian Stoba & Laurie Mandigo-Stoba wrote:
Copper tape didn't work at all for me. I made a 4" diameter hoop, with
copper facing inside, and dropped a slug in the "Copper Corral" to test
the concept, and the little bugger simply climbed right out over the
copper. No prollem. :-(
However, these slugs are definately in the boxes
> already. I've found many tiny slugs which would
have an easy time evading
I think this is your prollem: Brewers Yeast EXTRACT is not necessarily
yeast. Get a packet of bread yeast, and re-innoculate your mix, and see
what happens.
We caught many ants and flying bugs,
> but no slugs. Thanks for any ideas!
Please let us know what you do, and what works for you.
Kevin Chisholm
> I'm having a rather serious slug attack the last couple of weeks and could
> use a few pointers on making a slug trap baited with beer.
What sort of container does one normally use to catch baby slugs? I
> think my bait was okay. I used 2 tsp flour, warm water and a sticky dolop
> of Veg-X (Brewer's Yeast Extract). We caught many ants and flying bugs,
> but no slugs. Thanks for any ideas!
Right, here goes with my method:
Take one 1L plastic pop bottle and cut all the way round where it stops
curving and straightens out at the top. Into the bottom bit put 2tsp flour, 1
tsp sugar, warm water to about 2" deep and YEAST, not yeast extract. Take the
lid off the bottle and turn the top upside down. Push the top into the bottom
(still upside down) and tape around the join. Lay the bottle containing the
bait on the ground sideways on where the slugs are and wait....
The yeast extract has probably been sterilised and the yeast dead, so you
won't get that lovely smell that slugs seem to go for.
Alternatively, put an inch or so of bran in the bottle and treat as before.
Good luck.
Lorna.
--
Lorna Noble
Glasgow
Scotland
bRUCE sMITH wrote:
Smitty
I once did stop a slug attack on brassicas with DE. I completely
surrounded each plant with a ring about 1 1/2" wide. I think it would
be more effective than wood ashes. In any case while these are OK on
Brassicas which don't mind a high pH, they should be used with caution
around the garden an some plants would find them too alkaline. At least
DE is quite neutral in this regard.
Moira
--
Tony & Moira Ryan
Wainuiomata, New Zealand. (on the "Ring of Fire" in the SW Pacific).
Lat. 41:16S Long. 174:58E. Climate: Mediterranean/Temperate
