Slug Fest

I know that finding lots of earthworms in one’s yard is a sign that your lawn is healthy – but what about slugs?

This morning, as I was taking my recycling bin out for pick-up, I counted 16 slugs all within about a square foot of lawn. That tells me that there are probably hundreds of the little things all over my yard.

What are slugs anyway? What purpose do they serve?

I’m fairly certain nobody eats them – meaning birds, of course. I do know they can eat your plants: Mother has chickens who eat the slugs out of her garden.

And there, I’ve just contradicted myself: I guess some birds do eat them after all.

However, I do not have any chickens. I don’t think the city would allow me to have chickens, in fact. So, what do I do to get rid of slugs? Do I even want to get rid of slugs?

I know from past experience that I have a lot of earthworms in my yard – see previous posting Confessions of a Killer from the archive files for January 2008. I thought that would negate any slug problem, but I guess I was wrong.