I would like to know whether anybody here has actually seen a real banana slug that was ten inches long. That mental image is really disgusting to me. I can't believe something so disgusting hasn't been brought to the foreground of our cultural consciousness. Never even heard of banana slugs till last night...

My cousin moved out to vancouver a few years ago, and brought back reports of these things being far to big to dare stepping on (unless you've got a good stomach). I really do think they get that big. And it made me think I didn't want to visit.

As for the beer trick mentioned, it does work, at least on the little ones in our lot. My brother used to deliver for a company that sold microbrews, and he'd bring home a case or two of the stuff gone bad, which we'd use on the pests. A gourmet death...

Refering to the even earlier post, I'm not sure about the razor trick. There's a deterrent used called Diatomaceous Earth that's supposed to be disastrous for soft bodied pests. Perhaps the uniform surface of a razor blade is fine - I don't know. Here's a description of the stuff I found:

Diatomaceous Earth
The fossilized shells and skeletons of a type of ancient algae are mined and packaged as diatomaceous earth. This powder looks like fine clay dust, but the edges of each particle are razor sharp. When soft~bodied insects encounter diatomaceous earth, they suffer numerous small abrasions that often result in death. Diatomaceous earth, often abbreviated as DE, is widely available at garden centers and through mail~order companies. It is different from (and much safer than) the DE used in swimming pool filters.

To control leaf-eating insects, spray plants with water, then dust them with diatomaceous earth while the leaves are wet. When applying it by hand, wear a dust mask to keep from breathing the particles. As long as your air passages are protected, you can apply DE by placing a small amount in a paper bag with several small holes punched in it and shaking it among plant leaves.

You also may lay diatomaceous earth on the soil to discourage slugs, cutworms, and other soft~bodied soil dwellers. When setting out cabbage, broccoli, and other brassicas, a small amount of DE sprinkled into the planting holes will provide some protection against root maggots. Diatomaceous earth is good for the soil, as it contains more than a dozen trace minerals.


Ali