NATURAL AND CHEMICAL MEANS

Fend off giant slugs of the West

I NEVER cease to be amused by the caption printed on the
brand name slug bait which reads something like ‘‘Effective
Against The Giant Slugs of the West.’’

It always brings to mind
Hollywood horror movies with
scantily clad B_ queens screaming
while 10-foot slugs devour ’57
Chevies and amusement parks.

Humorous as this image may
seem, I know many of you are
horrified by the damage these
monsters can cause and perplexed
by tiie problem of how best to be
rid of them.

As I have indicated in previous
articles, healthy gardens begin with
clean gardens. Refuse that is left
lying about the garden could be
considered as the Club Med of the
slug world.

As well as the hiding places
created in this way there are other
nooks and crannies that should be
checked over the winter and early
spring months and, if any of the
pearly little eggs are found, they
should be destroyed.

Now, I will not try to con you
into believing that you could hope
to eliminate the problem with sim-
ply good housekeeping practises in
the garden, although it will help;
but it will reduce the numbers
which will require the use of some
of the more usual (and unusual)

methods.

The first thing | could suggest is
to get a duck. If you are on Bowen
Island or some other neighborhood
which permits feathered friends,
you'll find them very effective in
controlling not only slugs but
weevils, beetles, leatherjackets,
earwigs and other garden pests.

If your neighbors will not put up
with the duck and you still find
yourself in duck soup as far as the
slugs go, there are a number of
other home remedies which have
been suggested to me which you
might try.

Fill an old yogurt container full
of stale beer (it is a capital offence
to waste a fresh one) and set it into
the ground buried up to the rim.

Cut a small corner out of the lid
and snap it on the container to
keep out the cats on the how! and
any other critters that may have a
propensity for howling and beer.

The slugs (apparently all poten-
tial alcoholics) climb right into the
irresistible brew and drown their

‘sorrows and themselves in a hop

induced bliss. —
Another neat: trick is to roll up

newspapers (stale or fresh — no

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capital offence here) and place
them around the garden.

1 would hesitate to suggest that
our ‘giant slugs of the west’’ have
giant 1.Q.’s; but it seems that they
too like to curl up at night with a

11 ~ Friday, March 27, 1987 - North Shore News

pouring salt on the beasts and
watching with sick interest while
they melt. 1 find the more humane
method of squashing them under
my boot quite sufficient.

If all else fails and you are intent

over the

garden gate
by Geoff Tobiasson

copy of the North Shore News. It

then becomes a simple matter of
collecting the papers early in the
morning and burning them, slugs
and all. ;

Then there is the sadist’s game of

on ridding the world of as many of
these slithery demons as possible,
it is time to pull out the big gun,
Metaldehyde!

Now I know there are a number
cf you out there who are concern-

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SURREY
14625-108th AVE.
4 blks. north of Guildford
Phone 585-8877

NORTH VANCOUVER
1400 MARINE DRIVE
984-0341

ed about the environment and |
must admit | am as well; but its the
“Giant Slugs Of The West’? we’re
dealing with here and if using a
chemical in the garden is the only
way of controlling this menace
chemical warfare it is.

Seriously, | am a firm advocate
of a safer, less polluted environ-
ment and | detest the abuse of
chemical pesticides; but informed
use, at the appropriate time I do
not consider to be abuse.

Metaldehyde is found in both
granular and liquid slug baits and
is toxic to animals including birds,
pets, and man. Therefore exercise
reasonable care when placing in
the garden, being sure that only
the slugs will find it. As is the case
with all pesticides; READ THE
LABEL CAREFULLY BEFORE

_ USE.

Be vigilant, be irresolute, and
for goodness sake be careful —
especially is you own a '57 Chevy.

| BURNABY
4700 E, HASTINGS
’ Cnr. of Hastings & Beta

Phone 294-5256