Is anybody else observing the slugs bringing pellets into the traps with them? I have seen several which have been bought in (with several slugs in the trap, so no immediate owner) and even found one slug tucking into one under the trap (?!). Are we missing a trick here with slug control? 1/2 rate pellet applications but with a few traps/hides across the field for slugs to share them in. Food for thought.
Slug Pellet BYO Buffet
- Thread starter Sinkt
- Start date
This is a very interesting find @Sinkt ! It would be good to see if anyone else has found this...you may well be on to something! @Tom @ BOFIN have you ever come across this?
As Skye said, an interesting find.
I suspect that the pellets are being brought to the trap stuck to the outside of the body, but perhaps this is happening more often than previously thought. Would it be possible for you (and anybody else) to indicate an approximate average number of pellets found under traps within the first week or so after application, perhaps using a scale of very many - many - some - a few - very few - only one or two in an occasional trap. I guess that it will vary depending on various factors but this might give us a feel of how much pellet movement is occurring and therefore what potential there might be for the idea. PLEASE NOTE THOUGH: To avoid my thoughts causing confusion, please do not add pellets to traps in this experiment. There was a reason for stipulating that the traps should not be baited with pellets. We need the data to give us an estimate of population size that is directly comparable both between assessment dates and between different sites and baiting them will make it impossible to draw strong conclusions as the same protocol will then not be followed at all sites.
I suspect that the pellets are being brought to the trap stuck to the outside of the body, but perhaps this is happening more often than previously thought. Would it be possible for you (and anybody else) to indicate an approximate average number of pellets found under traps within the first week or so after application, perhaps using a scale of very many - many - some - a few - very few - only one or two in an occasional trap. I guess that it will vary depending on various factors but this might give us a feel of how much pellet movement is occurring and therefore what potential there might be for the idea. PLEASE NOTE THOUGH: To avoid my thoughts causing confusion, please do not add pellets to traps in this experiment. There was a reason for stipulating that the traps should not be baited with pellets. We need the data to give us an estimate of population size that is directly comparable both between assessment dates and between different sites and baiting them will make it impossible to draw strong conclusions as the same protocol will then not be followed at all sites.
I often find torn off parts of OSR leaves just under the soil surface (especially this year, please see the photo taken in Hampshire). Is this not slugs dragging the food down for later consumption? I've never actually seen them dragging anything off so is my assumption wrong here? Is it something else?
RE recording I noted the finds down in the free text area on the husk data app. E.G 1 x Pellet
No don't worry, I won't be baiting any of the traps.
RE recording I noted the finds down in the free text area on the husk data app. E.G 1 x Pellet
No don't worry, I won't be baiting any of the traps.
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Please find attached a few pic I found this afternoon of Pellets that have been brought into the traps - some take a bit of finding in the pictures, but they are there.
Also (I'm assuming I'm correct here) there seems to be a few foxes using my traps as toilets. Which the slugs are absolutely going wild for! Not so great for me.
Also (I'm assuming I'm correct here) there seems to be a few foxes using my traps as toilets. Which the slugs are absolutely going wild for! Not so great for me.
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- application osr parts slug slugs