Slug Buffets - Update

The slug buffet traps are working. Whoopie!! There was evidence of slug activity and a number of dead slugs. And the bait has stayed dry through three light rains.

One of the email responses about these slug buffets suggested putting the bait into something to keep it off the soil. Two reasons--- less soil contamination and less moisture getting to the bait. The suggestion was a great idea. So I came up with little trays with low sides. In this case, it was a lid from a sour cream container. Perfect size.

Bait is in a tray. Set close to the soil and with a shallow lip, the slugs can easily get to the bait. 

I'm planning to make a lot more of these slug buffets now that I know that they work. I'll try using an assortment if styles to see if one works better than the others. Right now I like the red colored containers because they are easy to see.

Top tilled back, showing you the bait tray. 

In the above picture there is a dead, dried out slug to the left of the bait tray. It's in a pile of dried slug slime. Can you pick it out? Hint - the slug looks almost black, like a one inch long twig. It's laying about two inches directly to the left of the tray. 

Each trap killed at least one slug. One of the trays killed five! Any they weren't even set up in the high slug damage area. So I think these things are going to work out. 

In in an email someone felt that only nontoxic slug traps, such as beer traps, should be used. That's a fine suggestion for a small garden, and I totally agree. But when food production gardens grow really large, or when the gardener must spread his time thinly over multiple projects, or as in the case with these slug buffets the garden volunteers only work one day a week, then beer traps won't be a good solution. Traps need to be tended daily. On the other hand, slug buffets can be tended weekly.