Snails and Slugs HELP

What is the best way to get rid of snails and slugs without harming the lizards and frogs in the garden? I just saw the greatgranddaddy of all snails in my amaryllis. I want to get rid of them but I don't want to harm the other wildlife living in the garden (Anoles, Geckos, and several kinds of frogs). I have heard a saucer of beer or grape juice will work but wouldn't that attract ants? I already have to fight fire ants in my yard on a regular basis, I sure don't need them up closer to the house.

Any advice is appreciated

Shell

Reply to
Shell91
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Well, the SAFEST thing to do is go out at night with a flashlight & gather them up & drop 'em in soapy water in a container they can't climb out of. If you gather up all the adults before they reproduce things will get dramatically better slug-wise, the tiny ones you miss don't do the most damage, & getting rid of the big ones before they reproduce causes a dramatic overall slug population drop.

Beer traps do attract slugs but don't reliably kill them unless the trap is deep enough they can't reach over the top to get out (so saucers don't work, slugs climb right off the saucers, but Yoplay yogurt plastic cups are just barely too deep for a slug to climb out of, so it drowns in the beer). Such a trap would also endanger frogs & small lizards & beneficial insects that per chance fell in, without really resulting in a dramatic lessening of the slug population.

Sluggo or Escar-Go destroys slugs' & snails' ability to eat anything at all -- yet is non-toxic to plant & animal life other than mollusc -- even if something eats the starving slugs, there's nothing in them that is toxic to other animals, as these products are really nothing but iron phosphate. It works way better than the approved poison baits that do endanger other animals, & usually the iron boost that results from Iron phosphate slug bait has a totally healthy effect on the soil.

I am super-reluctant to use even "organic" chemicals in my garden, but Sluggo iron phosphate is hardly anything but fertilizer. I used briefly earlier this year & it took care of the slugs for months; haven't as yet needed it again, though probably will when weather's damp again.

I posted previously about Iron phosphate to control slugs, here:

My suspicion is that all other products will over time vanish from the marketplace as people figure out Iron phoshate is more effective without sharing the harmful potential of other slug baits.

-paghat the ratgirl

Reply to
paghat

Thanks for the advice. I will have to try the iron phosphate. I really don't want to harm the lizards, they keep the mosquitos down along with the roaches. Last night's gecko count was 20 on the garage wall :) You should hear them chirping and singing since it rained. Shell

Reply to
Shell91

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