Gardeners and farmers struggle with slugs and snails year after year.
Slughelp would like to assist those who are tired of fighting and are looking for more sustainable solutions.
However, before looking at methods that effectively defend plants, let’s take a quick glance at what seems to work but is, in fact, worsening the problem.
Slug pellets and beer traps aggravate the problem instead of solving it.
Slugs and snails are a part of the ecosystem, and most of them are essential, beneficial animals, as they process dead plants and carrion, thereby contributing to the garden’s health.
Only some invasive snails and slugs are problematic, causing anger and resentment towards the whole species.
The typical response is to use slug pellets, which is a disaster for the garden.
Slug pellets harm the biodiversity, preventing the establishment of natural checks and balances.
Even the so-called “harmless” iron phosphate pellets worsen the problem, which stands true for beer traps as well.
Beer traps not only harm the biodiversity but also attract snails and slugs from all around the neighborhood into your garden.
Slughelp focuses on the causes of population booms and effective measures to protect plants.
What Are the Causes of Slug and Snail Population Booms?
The answer to this question leads to sustainable long-term solutions.
Often, the reason appears simple:
An invasive species was brought by humans to an environment, where it did not encounter natural enemies.
However, this is only one side of the story.
Snails and slugs are native to all parts of the world, which is why natural enemies should also be present.
Here lies the root of most slug and snail problems:
Natural enemies—like ground beetles, horn flies, and harvestmen—have gone extinct or become rare.
Like hedgehogs, songbirds, and toads, many insects are specialized snail hunters.
However, because of extensive agriculture and horticulture, the use of pesticides and increased light pollution, they are massively declining in population, if not already extinct.
