Slugs

Determined not to let the pesky garden critters get me down I wrote a little ditty in honour of the humble slug:-

There’s been a slug convention in my garden this year
They came from far and wide, even Spain, I hear

There are slugs in the garden, there are slugs on the march
Slugs on the pergola or is it an arch?

I can put up with mice and birds and even most bugs
But one thing I cannot tolerate is slimy big slugs

They come out at night and stay up till dawn
They eat all my plants from the moment they’re born

They munched through my prize veggies for the horticultural show
I lost the whole lot, it was a terrible blow

So I set traps to catch them, bring their lives to an end
But they drank all the beer and sent me round the bend

Slugs of all sizes and dazzling colours too
If I collect enough of the critters I could open a zoo

I did some research on my enemy’s life cycle
Wow! These gastropods are truly amazing, I’m not taking the Michael!

So I’ve done a u-turn, got a new point of view
They are simply trying to survive, just like me and just like you

We should love all God’s creatures in every way
I wonder if there’s already a Slug Appreciation Day?

Seriously folks, if you want to limit the number of slugs and snails in your garden then look out for clusters of small white eggs (see picture). If you find any then let nature give you a helping hand; leave the eggs exposed on the surface of the soil and they will soon be devoured by the local bird population.

Photograph by Andy Gunn

© Andy Gunn Dec 2012