Saturday 31 May 2014

Slug Patrol

I was in the garden last night hunting for slugs by torchlight. My garden doesn't usually suffer too badly with them, but I've found lots just recently, perhaps because of the very wet weather. Every bit of my parsley has been munched by the slimy molluscs.


I'm pleased I wasn't the only one on slug patrol last night, look who I came across.


My pond is only tiny but it provides a home for all manner of wildlife which keeps the ecosystem in balance. Perhaps that's why I don't find too many slugs in my garden, thank goodness.

36 comments:

  1. Awww how cute, I hope he filled his tummy x

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I do too. I don't want my other herbs going the same way as the parsley.

      Delete
  2. AnonymousMay 31, 2014

    Oh dear. I've being seeing more snails than slugs but it's been ideal weather for them. Your frog will certainly have made a difference, and shows why a pond is such a good feature to have in a garden. Flighty xx

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I've definitely got more slugs than snails, though I'm sure I'd have more of both if I didn't have my little pond.

      Delete
  3. Do you loan him out?
    Love from Mum
    xx

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'm afraid not. There's plenty of molluscs in my garden to keep him going without having to seek food from elsewhere. I'll ask him to send his cousins over though.

      Delete
  4. Don't you believe it we have lits and lots of frogs and toads and blackbirds on the plot and still lots and lots of slugs.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'm sure all your frogs, toads and blackbirds will be making some sort of difference. Imagine what it would be like if you didn't have their help.

      Delete
  5. I darent risk a pond with the grandchildren but I bet it is your froggy friends munching on the slugs and snails!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. My pond is only tiny, but I know what you mean when there are children about, I don't think I'd risk it either. It's a shame though as I'm sure the frogs really do help in keeping the slug population under control.

      Delete
  6. Wow....what a beauty!!! The wet weather is wreaking havoc re slug attack, my veggie patch is being gobbled and we have lots of frogs....shame on them!xxx

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The slugs and snails are loving this wet weather, they're out in force, which isn't good news for our veggies.

      Delete
  7. Lots of snails here as well. I can't always bring myself to dispatch them, although I probably should. My hostas are sad and ragged, especially the one that's in the line of football fire as well. I look out of the kitchen window at it every day and sigh. Frogs here too though, for which I am glad. I hope they're doing their job.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I can't kill them either, I leave that job to Mick, though he actually just flings them. Probably not the best idea as they'll just make their way back. I grow my hostas in pots on the patio and they seem to avoid the worst of the slug attack, perhaps they just haven't found them yet.

      Delete
  8. Slugs are such pests. Out allotment has loads at the moment. Thankfully, a bit like you, our pond helps the garden survive them.

    X x

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I didn't grow potatoes on my old plot as they were decimated by slugs, but now I'm on a new site, I'm trying again. I hope they do better this time round.

      Delete
  9. It's dreadful here Jo, we are inundated by the horrible slimy things, the frogs can't keep up. They've had my coriander and basil so far. Better in the veg garden on account of the nematodes but even there I can see nibblings..

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'm glad the nematodes are helping to keep the slugs off your veg, but it's a shame they don't treat a much larger area. It just wouldn't be cost effective to use them on a whole garden so something is always going to suffer. It's so annoying.

      Delete
  10. Thank heavens for frogs! I hope you can encourage some more and then you won't have to do thus nocturnal hunting sessions! X

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. My pond is only tiny but it's got lots of frogs living in it and I even saw a newt a few weeks ago. I'm sure a larger pond would encourage more frogs but there'd always be more slugs and snails than they could eat.

      Delete
  11. Oh your poor parsley Jo. You would have thought that the gravel dressing would have scratched the mollusc's tums and put them off from munching. I think that the mild winter has also helped to swell their numbers.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'd hoped that the gravel would put them off, but it clearly doesn't work. I definitely think the mild winter has something to do with the increased number of slugs and snails about, we've definitely got more of them this year than usual.

      Delete
  12. I'm seeing more slugs as unfortunately our new neighbours have filled in the ponds that were only a few feet from my plot. They definitely keep the numbers down!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. That's such a shame that the ponds have been filled in, they really do their bit in attracting beneficial wildlife, no matter what their size.

      Delete
  13. I have had dreadful problems with slugs this year even though I have at least 20 frogs in my pond! I've even found the slugs at the top of my potato leaves which are planted in bags so are nearly 3ft off the ground. And my french tarragon disappeared over night into a slug - clearly they like herbs with their dinner!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I too found a slug at the top of my potato leaves which are planted in bags, they're everywhere this year. They must indeed like herbs, there's nothing left of my parsley.

      Delete
  14. I've been on snail and slug control lately too. The better weather mixed with rain and lots of green growth seems to really bring them out. Catching them at dusk is quite a good way to keep the numbers down.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'm finding them at all times of the day. My garden doesn't usually suffer too badly with them, but I'm even finding them in the greenhouse, horrible things.

      Delete
  15. I am glad I am not the only one who goes out on evening slug patrols! They are a nuisance aren't they :(

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I don't usually have to go out on evening slug patrols but there's just so many about at the moment that it's become a necessity. I'm hoping for a bit of dry weather, they might go back in to hiding then.

      Delete
  16. The last image is fabulous. I love it.......
    Best form of control there is.

    I have so many slugs .............the hosta are finished, lacy leaves. I have marsh frogs patrolling.
    The other evening I collected half a bucket and drove two miles and released them in a field.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The frogs must be very well fed this year, it seems that the slug population has increased. As much as I don't like them, I can't bring myself to kill them either.

      Delete
  17. Good thing you have a little bit of help with the slugs! We have had loads of slugs too, a whole army seem to have come out after planting our pumpkin plants outside.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I dread to think how many we'd have if we had no help at all. They've had a go at everything we've planted out, but haven't destroyed anything completely, thank goodness.

      Delete
  18. Reading through your comments it seems we've all been suffering with an overload of slugs! I lost a large patch of parsley as well; I thought I'd saved it by flinging organic slug pellets around but by morning only the stems were left. I think I should be looking out for hungry pigeons too!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It's that time of year when we need to be alert to everything which can decimate our crops, slugs, pigeons, butterflies the list goes on. It's a wonder they leave us anything to eat ourselves.

      Delete

 
!-- Start of StatCounter Code for Blogger / Blogspot -->