Snails and slugs, which are basically snails without shells, share dietary habits. They like to feast on garden plants such as tomatoes. Maybe the snails are just exercising revenge for their brethren that have ended up as escargot. When it comes to the garden, obviously these slithering creatures are not welcome guests, so the question is what to do about them? According to some widely circulating advice, they can be disinvited to the party by placing crushed eggshells around plants. The rationale is that crawling over the sharp edges will deter an invasion. Seems to make sense, but 鈥渟eems鈥� is not the same as evidence.
The slug-busters at the聽 鈥淎ll About Slugs鈥� group know this and have . In a clever experiment they surrounded lettuce leaves, a yummy snack for slugs, with egg shells, and found that the creatures had no trouble crashing the barrier to satisfy their appetite. So, if crushed shells don鈥檛 work, what does?聽 There is good evidence that consuming bait treated with iron phosphate, available commercially as 鈥淪luggo,鈥� will prevent slugs and snails from ever crawling anywhere again.
Another possibility? Well, you can always consider ducks, since they聽consider snails and slugs gourmet food.
@JoeSchwarcz
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