Slugs & Snails

[Matheous-2]

Apart from humans, do snails & slugs have any natural effective enemies in the UK ?
(Showing signs of activity already!)

[B00]

Hedgehogs.

[Prudie]

Hedgehogs are partial to slugs and birds, especially thrushes like snails.

[tonyav]

Don't some types of birds eat them.

[Prudie]

As a whelk lover myself I reckon they might be quite tasty with some vinegar and pepper.

[tonyav]

Well the French seem to like them.

[ladybirder]

A gourmet meal for a thrush Matheous.

[Tilly2]

Sadly, there are not that many thrushes around.

[Tilly2]

.................probably because people use slug pellets.

[Matheous-2]

Thanks guys- looks like I'll still be using slug pellets! -Was half hoping someone would say that pigeons were partial to them. - I suppose the only thing pigeons are good for is racing and cutting down on our food waste volumes!

[woofgang]

blackbirds

[Matheous-2]

Now- blackbirds......that's interesting as there seems to be more of them around than thrushes. What foods would lure in the blackbird (apart from snails)?

[Daffy6543]

My cats eat them.

[Tilly2]

So why have we got fewer thrushes?

[Graham-W]

I know it sounds like a waste but a few saucers of beer around the garden and you will be slug/snail free (well, much reduced) in no time. Seriously, you will be amazed.

[Matheous-2]

Beer solution must look pretty?

[woofgang]

I think its a whole garden thing. I have started not using any insecticide apart from soapy water on my roses if things get dreadful. There is always fresh water available and plenty of berries and insects and the birds have started to come, even though i have got two big noisy dogs

[Noe-schitt]

Instead of using slug pellets which tend to kill all manner of wildlife such as hedgehogs use iron sulphate which is non harmful to mammals but deadly to slugs