In which I try to outwit the gastropods

... from a secret location. Because, in light of fluctuations in the slug and snail population when I go away, I think they may read my blog.

Tuesday (day 39 of the snail eradication project) and Wednesday (day 40 of the snail eradication project) I found ten slugs each. No snails to speak of.

Both mornings were dry and overcast. All the slugs were located underneath the bags of compost and potting soil by the side of the house.

I didn't go snailing today on account of being in the aforementioned secret location. Where it is both hot and humid. I haven't seen any gastropods here, but the ants are ginormous.

If you're reading this, snails and slugs, perhaps it is safe for you to frolic in my yard. Or maybe I'll be back tomorrow morning with the Soapy Bucket of Merciful Deliverance. There's really no way to tell.

More like this

This morning's conditions were more of the same -- overcast and dry. There were no gastropods in evidence. Maybe this speaks to the success of our weed-clearing and morning snail- and slug-picking. Maybe there's a pocket of them I haven't located yet, busily breeding and plotting their revenge. Or…
Despite the threatening skies yesterday morning, it did not rain. And, it was pretty dry this morning. Accordingly, the gastropods seemed to have better things to do than sliding along the dry surfaces of my plants, meal or no meal. Luckily, I've identified a few instant-gratification spots for…
This was another cool, dewy morning following on the heels of a blazing hot day. In other words, good snailing weather. I got started a little earlier than usual, because I had to empty yesterday's Soapy Bucket of Merciful Deliverance onto the compost pile and prepare a fresh Soapy Bucket of…
Yet another dry, overcast morning. Not the kind of weather when one feels like sliding on one's foot across scratchy leaves or stems. At least if one is a snail or slug. I went right to the instant-gratification spots for slug capture. Only two out of the six locations yielded slugs today. One…

Inkstain's chief gardener, Lissa, suggests that a roadrunner has some facility as a snail hunter. Not sure if that's an option. Also, when I was a child in Southern California, we had these delightful friends who kept a duck in their backyard. It's primary purpose seemed to be the consumption of snails, which Fran and Doris would smash for it. If we were good kids, my sister and I got to smash snails for the duck as well.

Heh heh heh!

By Gastropods at … (not verified) on 18 Jun 2009 #permalink