Slugs

Where can you find them?

They occur naturally throughout Britain, and are mostly found outdoors. They do however occasionally make their way inside and can be found in damp rooms, e.g. cellars or kitchen areas. This normally occurs after being brought in on vegetables which may contain unnoticed slugs or snails!

Are they a problem?

Although they are very unwelcome pests, they are completely harmless to humans.

How to control them

If the slugs or snails are causing a problem in a garden or outside area you should contact your nearest gardening centre for advice.

There is a range of slug and snail control products on the market and the advice of a professional gardener should be sought.

If slugs and snails are regularly being seen in the home, some relief may be gained by clearing outside vegetation and debris from the areas closest to indoor access points.

Faulty Damp Proofing may also be encouraging slugs to shelter indoors. Easy entrance into the household may be via gaps under doors. I

f appropriate, slug pellets may also be applied in the immediate area to discourage entry. It may also be advisory to check any purchased vegetables for the presence of pests prior to storage within the home.

Pesticides

When purchasing a pesticide, ensure that it will treat slugs or snails. There are a number of different products available for the control of these pests. However due to their insignificance in terms of ‘risk to health’, it is recommended that pesticide treatments are used only as a ‘last resort’ measure.