Do they perform any useful function at all?

I ask, because I have recently discovered 'slug pubs' (*see below for
method), and am catching many dozens, probably running into hundreds,
of slugs, almost all about 2-3 cm long, black, so-called 'garden
slugs' I believe, one or two larger slugs and a few snails, but mostly
black slugs. I am wondering if by almost completely eliminating them,
the garden will actually suffer in some way. I suppose slug-eaters
such as a few birds and some types of beetles might go hungry, but
they're not making much of an impression on the slug population at the
moment, so there can't be too many slug-eaters around.

*Ingredients
1 can of beer of your choice
1 yoghurt pot with 2 or 3 slots (not slits - slots) cut horizontally
around the side, about 2cm up from the bottom and about 1cm wide, to
let the slugs get in
1 cup of tepid water
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp cheap plain flour
1 sprinkle of yeast

Dissolve the sugar in the tepid water and stir in the flour and the
yeast to make a thin slurp.

Place the yoghurt pot where you want to catch slugs, pour in the slurp
and cover with a piece of slate or whatever , to keep the rain out
(what rain?); (proper yoghurt pot tops seem out of favour ATM; scarce
as hen's teeth!).

Retire to your favourite garden bench and drink the beer.

Repeat with as many yoghurt pots as you like. I have over a dozen on
the go. Check them every few days and replace the slurry of flour and
drowned slugs.

I have tried blue slug pellets, the bird-friendly sort with iron
phosphate, but a little field mouse gobbled them up overnight
(actually caught on video!). I hope he/she came to no harm!

--
Chris

Gardening in West Cornwall, very mild, sheltered
from the West, but open to the North and East.

On 03/06/2023 16:56, Chris Hogg wrote:
> Do they perform any useful function at all?
>
> I ask, because I have recently discovered 'slug pubs' (*see below for
> method), and am catching many dozens, probably running into hundreds,
> of slugs, almost all about 2-3 cm long, black, so-called 'garden
> slugs' I believe, one or two larger slugs and a few snails, but mostly
> black slugs. I am wondering if by almost completely eliminating them,
> the garden will actually suffer in some way. I suppose slug-eaters
> such as a few birds and some types of beetles might go hungry, but
> they're not making much of an impression on the slug population at the
> moment, so there can't be too many slug-eaters around.

Very little slug damage here (except for a hosta or two) as it's so dry.
We already have 2cm cracks in the clay soil in the lawn and borders. I
started watering with the hose today as there's no rain forecast for at
least the next week. It's that damn nor'easter which is relentlessly
sucking all the moisture out of the soil.

> *Ingredients
> 1 can of beer of your choice
> 1 yoghurt pot with 2 or 3 slots (not slits - slots) cut horizontally
> around the side, about 2cm up from the bottom and about 1cm wide, to
> let the slugs get in
> 1 cup of tepid water
> 1 tsp sugar
> 1 tsp cheap plain flour
> 1 sprinkle of yeast
>
> Dissolve the sugar in the tepid water and stir in the flour and the
> yeast to make a thin slurp.
>
> Place the yoghurt pot where you want to catch slugs, pour in the slurp
> and cover with a piece of slate or whatever , to keep the rain out
> (what rain?); (proper yoghurt pot tops seem out of favour ATM; scarce
> as hen's teeth!).
>
> Retire to your favourite garden bench and drink the beer.

Does anything raid the pots and eat the drowned slugs? Might be more
palatable if you'd left some beer in the mix and ended up with slug
carbonnade!

> Repeat with as many yoghurt pots as you like. I have over a dozen on
> the go. Check them every few days and replace the slurry of flour and
> drowned slugs.
>
> I have tried blue slug pellets, the bird-friendly sort with iron
> phosphate, but a little field mouse gobbled them up overnight
> (actually caught on video!). I hope he/she came to no harm!

Probably not, and it won't have to worry about anaemia. :-)

--

Jeff