Tuesday 9 April 2013

Slug Holiday

Here is a photo of someone you might recognise. We met on holiday in Italy - well, I was on holiday, I neglected to enquire whether we were both taking a breather from our usual lives. Please note that it is not my hand in the photo - I scream like a banshee when I accidentally touch a slug, so I would never knowingly risk a close encounter with one. Indeed, it is highly probable that I took this photo using a zoom lens, thereby creating the maximum distance between me and the subject of my photograph.


Whilst I am an expert on slug avoidance tactics, I am not expert on slugs, so I cannot comment on whether this is an invasive killer slug of the type found in Norfolk. 

http://www.edp24.co.uk/news/invasive_killer_slug_found_outside_norwich_1_1790374

We don't have many slugs in our garden. I suspect that they may be sensitive to noise and would prefer not to reside or dine in the gardens of screaming banshees. Of course, one day (in my nightmares), some clever slug will invent ear defenders and none of my plants will be safe. Until then, I shall continue to scream in my own garden and those belonging to my clients (you might view this as unprofessional; I prefer to view it as a service to those discerning clients requiring slug-free gardens). 

Today I am linking to http://www.catharinehoward.co.uk . Catharine Howard has initiated a  new meme called Terrified Tuesday, whereby we are invited to post a photo which is vaguely disquieting. I am not entirely convinced that the slug photo fits the bill - it is more downright scary than vaguely disquieting and in any case, like many of you, I am terrified of slugs every day of the week, not just on a Tuesday. 

I was about to type "why not pop over to Catharine's to see something vaguely disquieting?" but that doesn't sound right at all. 

Have a good week!



66 comments:

  1. That is humungous ! I don't mind the tiny ones (as long as they don't eat my plants) but the big shiny ones make me feel a bit ill...

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    1. Hi Jane - welcome, you brave woman. Even those tiny ones send me into some frenzied leapy/yelly dance. I admire your courage.

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  2. Lucky that you don't have many slugs in your garden. Long may that continue!

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    1. I probably have quite a lot of slugs in the garden - I am just in denial!

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  3. Not many slugs in your garden - lucky, lucky you! I hate them and wang any I find into next doors garden to pay her back for being so unfriendly and miserable! I do this wearing gloves as the slime just will not wash off hands and also I find them disgusting too. Just a mobile stomach really!

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    1. Sue! How shocking! Have you thought of giving your neighbour a peace offering.... like a collection of Hosta plants? The slugs would never want to leave her and you would have extra gardening energy reserves, having saved yourself the effort of slug slinging.

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    2. It would be a waste of time I'm afraid.

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  4. Collecting and getting rid of killer slugs is my least favourite thing about gardening. Luckily the kids don't mind!

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    1. Hi Sara - how fortunate you are to have willing helpers. Long may that continue! One of our kids was in charge of slug/snail dispatching until she realised it was more fun watching me scream and flap my arms. I am going to have to start paying her.

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  5. Hahaha...this is funny! I am the same way around these creatures, and will ALWAYS use a zoom lens to photograph them.

    The one in your photo is HUGE. I've never seen one that big. Ever. That would just freak me out.

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    1. I was only too grateful that the slug wasn't in the UK. I once saw a slug eating a worm - that really did freak me out (there are no photos - I was too horrified to focus).

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  6. Ruuuuuun! We have mahoosive big black ones here and like you I would run a mile rather than be anywhere near them.
    Think your tiger stripey one is a bit more menacing looking though :O

    Linda

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    1. Menacing? You're telling me! I can't remember who was pointing at the slug in the photo, but it is miraculous that they escaped with their digits intact.

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  7. YECH! I have never seen such a giant slug. That is just gross! I bet he can eat 3000x his weight in plants too... Lucky you!

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    1. It is a remarkable size, but even more remarkably, there was little obvious slug damage to plants in the garden. Perhaps this slug swallows plants whole.

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  8. I think this slug fits the bill for sure! Ha! I have a fear of these guys as well. My fear and utter disgust comes from the fact that when I was out moving things on the porch (barefoot I might add) I stepped on one and it was enough to make me scream! So needless to say I am with you on this! I will hop on over! Have a great week!

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    1. Argh! That is HORRIBLE! It is the stuff of nightmares.

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  9. ...the French in me thinks of escargot! (There's good and bad in everything!) ;?)

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    1. The English in me thinks that it would take more than a pan of garlic sauce and a bottle or two of red to consider linking gastropod molluscs and gastronomy!

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    1. It is! But it hasn't been feasting on my plants (thank goodness).

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  11. Ugh! I hate slugs even more than I hate snails! I can manage to pick up snails with my hands, as I don't mind so much touching their hard shell, but no way am I touching a slug, tiny or huge! If I am accidentally touching one it gives me the creep!

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    1. I'm with you on that Helene. Here's to a snail/slug-free summer!

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  12. If I can forget what they do to my plants I can get fascinated watching some of them - such weird creatures!

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    1. Really? I am in a constant state of repulsion when I see them - I have never seen one do anything vaguely entertaining... ever! "Weird" is a very generous description!

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  13. I think I must be one of the few slug lovers!! My big ambition when we moved here 14 years ago, was to attract song thrushes and more blackbirds into my garden. Leaving the slugs and snails alone to be become breakfast for the birds has meant that I have very holey hostas and can only dream of growing delphiniums, but I have lots of happy birds!

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    1. Hello Hampshire - you have finally stumbled upon a good use for slugs! I am now going to try to regard them as bird food and see if I like them more (although I think the screaming might scare the birds away).

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  14. A very impressive specimen. We are lucky in that we have few slugs in the garden.

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    1. You are fortunate indeed. Long may this happy state continue!

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  15. Wow - that's huge! I'm a screamer, too. I agree with you - I do think it makes them think twice before they come into the garden! ;)

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    1. Ah yes - no self-respecting slug would put up with that racket!

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  16. Haha that's hilarious. Although I'll forgive you for laughing back at me because I have the same reaction to grasshoppers. Fortunately our chooks and the visiting kookaburras and magpies take care of most of our creepy crawlies without the need for banshee protection tactics.

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    1. I can imagine that grasshoppers would make you scream. Anything that hops or leaps has the potential to make the most courageous of us yelp. Thank goodness slugs don't hop.

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  17. That's one huge slug... the hens are in charge of slug control in my garden, but even they would think twice about tackling something that size!

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    1. Chickens range in our garden too, so perhaps they are doing a good job. We are also blessed with visiting wild ducks, so between them I think they might be keeping slug numbers down.

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  18. Slugs give me the heebie geebies too!! Have to admit I haven't thought about screaming at them. May give it a try :)
    I usually carry around a small bucket with some salt in the base and a pair of old kitchen tongs to pick them up. They promptly get dropped from a great height into the salt!

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    1. Angie, you are so sophisticated! The image of you with your dainty bucket and kitchen tongs dropping slugs from a great height is hilarious!

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  19. eek.... I would go as far to say that's extremely disquieting! I'm still laughing at the thought of slugs wearing ear defenders :-)

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    1. Now I come to think about it, I don't even know if slugs actually have ears.

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  20. LOL, like you I utterly loathe slugs and the first time I saw one that big I screamed a blue streak. Thank goodness the slugs in my garden are only teeny sized, they're still disgusting but I don't feel like I'm going to have a heart attack when I come across them.

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    1. I truly believe that screaming is the only option. The volume of the scream is dictated by the size of the slug and teeny slugs merit a yelp.

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  21. Don't say there are slugs about already - luckily I haven't seen any yet - I wonder where they are all hiding.

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  22. I think your slug looks very handsome. In general I find some of the snails rather prettier. I did a post about slugs and snails last month, I think they are fascinating!

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    1. Roger! Handsome slugs?!!!! Pretty snails?!!! Dearie me, next you'll be telling me that aphids have a certain charisma!

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  23. No, not a lover of slugs either. I hate it when I go to pick up a pot and they are under the rim! Yuk!

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    1. Oh that's the worst - especially if you unwittingly squash one under your hand.

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  24. Yuck, slimy slugs! Plenty of them in my garden unfortunately. They get shovelled onto the trowel and flung over into the nature reserve...where they belong!

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    1. Hi Paula, this is an excellent solution. Do you think they enjoy being hurled over fences? It has just occurred to me that they might, in which case, they will soon be back in your garden, chomping on plants and waiting for another turn.

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  25. I can't believe that I am about to say this, but actually, that particular slug is almost pretty. With those markings. I know it is, in reality, the spawn of some lesser demon and deserves instant death, but really, pretty markings...

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    1. Janet, I admire your ability to look for the good in all things!

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  26. I am squeamish about slugs as well. Truth be told, I would must rather a run in with a snake. I do have slugs in my garden who like to make swiss cheese out of my hostas. I hate to kill them (it only makes them more icky), so I escort them out for the garden and relocate them to the vacant lot behind. Have a great weekend!

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    1. Thanks Jennifer! I love the idea of you escorting them from your garden - it is so much gentler than hurling them over the fence. I only hope they are not homing slugs.

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  27. Yuk! I don't care for slugs, either. The main reason I can't eat boiled okra is because it reminds me of slugs! The other garden creature I really despise is the giant black grasshopper with stripes on its sides. Those truly terrify me, while slugs are simply disgusting.

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    1. Hilarious! I will never be able to eat boiled okra again now! That giant black grasshopper sounds like the stuff of nightmares.

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  28. Hi TGS, First of all I must say I thought I had commented on your previous post but seemingly not :-( Maybe it was because I was just so jolly envious about your beautiful Barn Owl that I went away in disgust ;-) Hammock lounging sounds wonderful, no chance at the moment here, it's pouring with rain!

    Slugs...euugghh! We seem to be plagued with more snails than slugs but neither are welcome. Many's the night my husband has been sent up the road with a bucketful of them...only to find they have marched, like an army, back 'home' again the next day...I'm sure of it!

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    1. Owl envy indeed! I note your envy doesn't extend to slugs. There was some research done on snails and it seems that they do have a homing instinct, so you're probably right about them returning. Time to put the "welcome home" banner up!

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  29. I cant say I like slugs, but you are a scream. Just off to pop over and see what Catharine is up to.

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    1. I shudder to think what Catharine's up to... I'll go and take a look myself.

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  30. Should change it to 'Hilarious Tuesday'

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  31. Ugh, I'm not looking forward to facing this foe again anytime soon!

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    1. Hopefully they've all gone on holiday to Italy.

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  32. Ugh, I hate slugs and snails, I mulch with blue pellets at times to keep the population down and give the plants a fighting chance for survival. Despite it being so wet last year, I've seen very little evidence of activity this Spring, perhaps they're still asleep. It's just as well as I haven't got round to proofing the borders yet and there are a lot of spring shoots emerging at the moment.

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  33. That is a big gross slug! Hurry! Grab the salt shaker!

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  34. Uugghh that is hideous. I can cope with touching the small ones but not the big ones - I pour salt on them which unfortunately is a slow oozing death of decombustion.

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