Thursday 2 October 2014

Not In MY House



Slugs have always given me the creeps but I have always left them alone outside.
I haven't used slug pellets because of the frogs, toads, hedgehogs, birds and other small creatures who might be affected by eating the poisoned slug.
However, my patience is fast running out. 
For the past week I've noticed small brown slugs crawling up onto my work bench after dark. At first I couldn't believe my eyes and the offensive first few were carefully removed with tissue and thrown outside. I sprayed the tops with disinfectant which I left neat on the counter tops, feeling sure that they'd be killed if they came back. That proved to be no big deal to them and they just travelled around it.
I've searched high and low for a hole or entry point. How would a slug get into my kitchen? Or to be more realistic...... how would an army of slugs get in?
They don't give me a trail to follow to an entry point. That in itself seems strange.
In fact they seem to be very clever in evading detection.
Last night, I thought I'd get the better of them and I left a sprinkling of salt on the floor near the place they seem to choose to climb up to the tops, thinking that would surely finish them off but no........ I went in there late in the evening and saw them just skirting round the salt and seemingly unharmed by it.
Tonight I will be forced to put down slug pellets on the floor. 
Can't think what else to do short of napalming the whole area!
Any ideas?

16 comments:

Rose said...

I was going to give you some tips on organic methods for slugs till I realized you meant they were coming indoors--ugh! That's a whole different story, and when I'd reach for a pesticide. There has to be a hole or crack somewhere where they can get in; if there's anyway you can find that, that's where I would put the pesticide, or better yet, see if you can get it sealed up. I hope something works for you soon!

Jackie said...

I'm with you, Maggie.
They have to go!
Do whatever you need to in order to rid yourself of them.
I haven't seen one (inside or outside)....but if I did, they would be GONERS! :)

dianefaith said...

I used to get them on my kitchen floor during damp weather. It was an old house that had close contact to the ground at that point. It was an occasional thing, so I never worried about it much, but I must say that it's no fun to step on one of them.

dianefaith said...

I used to get them on my kitchen floor during damp weather. It was an old house that had close contact to the ground at that point. It was an occasional thing, so I never worried about it much, but I must say that it's no fun to step on one of them.

Gosia said...

I hate them

Wendy said...

Aww, they're kinda cute (well outside they are as they slime along the road or cling to a tomato vine).

Seriously, I"m with you. You don't want them in the house - especially the kitchen!

Good luck. Hope they find somewhere else to crawl.

Celia said...

We've had really good luck filling a flat plate or aluminum pie pan with beer, bubbly or flat and the goofy critters love it, and climb in and that's the end of them.

Hilary said...

Slugs.. ugh!

When in need of answers, I ask Google. Try Googling "slugs in the house." There are many pages with many different solutions. The first one on the list when I searched also suggests which products will kill the slugs but are harmless to other animals.
http://www.allaboutslugs.com/slugs-in-the-house/

Mike@Bit About Britain said...

Salt?

Suburbia said...

They are horrible creatures!

mrsnesbitt said...

Yuck! Cringing just reading this. Agree with you xxx

cheshire wife said...

They are trespassing! Do whatever you need to.

Sally Wessely said...

I would be trying everything in my power to kill these ugly things in my house. Do what it takes. I hope you eventually find out where they are getting in.

FeltByRae said...

Ew... poor you; I'd hate to find them in my kitchen

Sadly I don't know of any tips to get rid of slugs. Spiders and ants yes, but not slugs :(

Hope you find something that helps soon

Expat mum said...

Ugh. While my mother pours salt on the ones in her garden (poor things) I wouldn't want them in the house. I have heard the plate of beer remedy mentioned here so it's worth a try.

Secret Agent Woman said...

Have you tried setting out a saucer of beer? I hear that can be effective. If you don't mind the grossness of emptying the next day.