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slug eggs - desperate!! need help!!
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Posted by robin-whoneedshelp CT (My Page) on Sun, Jul 19, 09 at 20:21
| I am desperate and seeking advice from anyone who has dealt with slugs and their eggs. I have been dealing with them after a very wet late spring and summer here in the northeast. Well, I did all that was recommended to wipe out the slugs and I thought I was victorious - but my annuals in the ground and in various types of planters continue to be eaten and die. After throwing away a few of the contents of one of the planters when all the flowers had been destroyed I noticed that there were a few of these little while fluid filled eggs on the top of the soil and down in the soil. After many hours of combing through all the soil in all my plants in the ground and in planters - I found the eggs in all of them. It took me a while to figure out that they were slug eggs. So - this is why I am here - desperately seeking any solutions to get rid of the eggs before all my flowers are destroyed. I have broken down crying over them - as they were all doing so well and now everything is a mess.....
FYI - I have spent an unusual amount of time and $$ this year on flowers (annuals) as we put our house up for sale and I am trying to max out the curb appeal! PLease help - any thoughts or suggestions would be appreciated!!!!!!!! |
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RE: slug eggs - desperate!! need help!!
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- Posted by morz8 Z8 Wa coast (My Page) on
Sun, Jul 19, 09 at 21:47
| Robin, many container/potting soils contain time release fertilizer pellets that can be mistaken for eggs, maybe not all you are seeing are being left from slugs. I thought we were the slug capital in the country, I battle them 11 months out of 12 here, sometimes skipping just January. Somehow I don't find the clusters of eggs all that often (just slugs)...those times I do find eggs I smash them. It's not hard to get control, just takes persistence. You need to make sure what you are dealing with are slugs and not earwigs or caterpillars, so please go out after dark with a flashlight and have a good look. Fill a spray/spritz bottle 1/4 the way up with household ammonia then finish with water...if on your hunt you do see slugs on your plants or heading for your plants, give them a spritz and they are dead in a heartbeat - the ammonia won't harm foliage - and you've taken your first step in reducing their numbers. And if it's slugs or snails you find damaging your plants, pick up one of the pet/wildlife friendly baits that are so available now - iron phosphate is the active ingredient, some of the brand names Sluggo, Worry Free, Ortho EcoSense, there are a few on the market to choose from so go by price...use it consistently. It could take a few days to get the upper hand, so in the meantime continue your flashlight outings, beginning at dusk and maybe making a second trip a little later in the evening. |
Here is a link that might be useful: Slugs eggs
RE: slug eggs - desperate!! need help!!
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| Thanks very much for the advice - I have seen the sluggies many times at night and effectively used one of the bait products to eliminate them or so I thought. It's funny you mention the fert pellets as that is what I wrote them off as for a little while. But these are all differing in size slightly, and many filled with liquid, a few I have seen appear to have hatched. I'm pretty certain it is not pellets, as they are in the ground too where I did not use any potting soil. I think I killed the vast majority of the slugs, but the eggs clearly are a different story. Do you think it could be a different tupe of bug larvae? I do see what I think are cutworms that don't appeat to be impacted by the insecticide - organic and non that I have tried....can you feel the desperation?? :) |
RE: slug eggs - desperate!! need help!!
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- Posted by jean001 z8aPortland, OR (My Page) on
Mon, Jul 20, 09 at 1:29
| OP wrote " I think I killed the vast majority of the slugs," Hmmm. If so, you're the first person to ever accomplish that. It's often said that 10% or fewer slugs are visible at any one time. |
RE: slug eggs - desperate!! need help!!
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| Ok - so I should rephrase....I haven't seen any slugs lately - even at night when I am out searching with a flashlight! I can't find any evidence of them taking the slug bait (I can usually see all the slime trails in the AM) Still appreciate any advice! Thanks! |
RE: slug eggs - desperate!! need help!!
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| Not all slugs leave slime trails so look for the beasties not the trail. I did not believe this one until I saw it for myself. |
RE: slug eggs - desperate!! need help!!
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- Posted by morz8 Z8 Wa coast (My Page) on
Wed, Jul 22, 09 at 22:22
| That must be frustrating when you are trying welcome people wanting to look at your house... But there must be an answer. If you aren't finding active slugs there must be something else...even if those are their eggs you are finding, eggs don't eat. If you are going out at night are you seeing earwigs or caterpillars that could be doing the damage? Is it one type annual over others, or which ones? |
RE: slug eggs - desperate!! need help!!
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| Recently, when getting ready to bring in some potted plants for the winter, I noticed what I have come to believe are slug eggs in the soil - not in large clusters - but one here and there. My plants are not being eaten, but these things are grossing me out since I now know what they are. I potted these plants myself using Miracle Grow Potting Mix and they have been on my deck all summer, not in the garden. I don't know whether to bring them in or destroy them. What can I do with these plants? Should I try picking out the eggs, which will be difficult since some of the pots are rather large or just leave them? I know nothing about slugs/eggs. HELP! |
RE: slug eggs - desperate!! need help!!
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| jeanne what you are seeing is probably fertilizer. MG uses time release pellets that are similar to Osmocote. Since they are both made by Scotts they may be the same. It's kind of hilarious that another GW member picked them all out thinking they were eggs. I think slug eggs are smaller than Osmocote. |
RE: slug eggs - desperate!! need help!!
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| This is to taz6122 - thank you so much for the info. I contacted Scotts and they confirmed that MG potting mix did have osmocote in it. I am very relieved so thank you again. |
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