Hi,
This year, i've been trying "green" solutions to combat slugs and
snails. I've ordered special bait (from greengardeners, the "sweedish"
slug trap) you can put into your normal beer trap, and I have to say
they are very very effective (compared to beer trap without bait). The
problem is that recently, something systematically eat it all. It is big
enough to open the trap cover (even with a stone on top) and lick the
bait perfectly clean. The only thing I can think of is cats (I am in the
city center)... Do they like what looks to be a mix of yeast and sugar
(and maybe some mystery ingredients)?

On Fri, 23 May 2003 08:55:04 +0100, Philippe Gautier
wrote:

Hi,
This year, i've been trying "green" solutions to combat slugs and snails.
I've ordered special bait (from greengardeners, the "sweedish" slug trap)
you can put into your normal beer trap, and I have to say they are very
very effective (compared to beer trap without bait). The problem is that
recently, something systematically eat it all. It is big enough to open
the trap cover (even with a stone on top) and lick the bait perfectly
clean. The only thing I can think of is cats (I am in the city center)...
Do they like what looks to be a mix of yeast and sugar (and maybe some
mystery ingredients)?

Foxes, hedgehogs, squirrels? Rats even. A very big slug ;-) ?
Don't underestimate the strength and determination of a blackbird first
thing in the morning. Tim.

On Fri, 23 May 2003 08:55:04 +0100, Philippe Gautier
wrote:

The only thing I can think of is cats (I am in the
city center)... Do they like what looks to be a mix of yeast and sugar
(and maybe some mystery ingredients)?


Sounds like they would love it. Cats generally adore yeast - it's one
of the flavours used by pharmaceutical companies trying to make
medicines which cats will like. It can also be quite challenging eating
marmite toast in a cat's presence. She will be doing her utmost to get
a bit!
--
Cheers, Serena

Sometimes I sits and thinks ... and sometimes I just sits. (Punch cartoon)

"Philippe Gautier" wrote in message
...
Hi,
This year, i've been trying "green" solutions to combat slugs and
snails. I've ordered special bait (from greengardeners, the "sweedish"
slug trap) you can put into your normal beer trap, and I have to say
they are very very effective (compared to beer trap without bait). The
problem is that recently, something systematically eat it all. It is big
enough to open the trap cover (even with a stone on top) and lick the
bait perfectly clean. The only thing I can think of is cats (I am in the
city center)... Do they like what looks to be a mix of yeast and sugar
(and maybe some mystery ingredients)?


Philippe, I have not heard of this product before but has just viewed the
greedgardener web site.

What is the advantage over just using beer on its own?


AndyP

andyp wrote:

Philippe, I have not heard of this product before but has just viewed the
greedgardener web site.

What is the advantage over just using beer on its own?


AndyP


Well, I'm not sure, but I think the special bait is much more effective
to attract slugs and snails. I can confirm that in my garden, the trap
with beer + bait seem to get far more than the one with just beer.
having said that, it was quite expensive and as I was saying, this
"special" bait looks to me like a mix of sugar and yeast...

Philippe

Philippe, I have not heard of this product before but has just viewed
the
greedgardener web site.

What is the advantage over just using beer on its own?


AndyP


Well, I'm not sure, but I think the special bait is much more effective
to attract slugs and snails. I can confirm that in my garden, the trap
with beer + bait seem to get far more than the one with just beer.
having said that, it was quite expensive and as I was saying, this
"special" bait looks to me like a mix of sugar and yeast...

Philippe


That makes me think I should experiment and make my own, not sure of the
proportions but if I just added a spoonful of baking (or brewer's yeast) in
a 2 litre bottle of water with a spoon of sugar. This would certainly me
cheaper than using beer.

AndyP

On Fri, 23 May 2003 14:22:07 +0100, "andyp" wrote:


Philippe, I have not heard of this product before but has just viewed
the
greedgardener web site.

What is the advantage over just using beer on its own?


AndyP


Well, I'm not sure, but I think the special bait is much more effective
to attract slugs and snails. I can confirm that in my garden, the trap
with beer + bait seem to get far more than the one with just beer.
having said that, it was quite expensive and as I was saying, this
"special" bait looks to me like a mix of sugar and yeast...

Philippe


That makes me think I should experiment and make my own, not sure of the
proportions but if I just added a spoonful of baking (or brewer's yeast) in
a 2 litre bottle of water with a spoon of sugar. This would certainly me
cheaper than using beer.

I'm sure it's the smell of yeast, fermented grain etc which turns them on rather than
the alcohol. For that reason I prefer, when I remember to do it, to top up my jars with a
rich smelly beer like Newkie Brown. As you suggest, they might even go for any fermented
(or fermenting) liquid.

Hussein

Huss
Grow a little garden

spam block - for real addy, reverse letters of second level domain.

"andyp" wrote in message
...

Philippe, I have not heard of this product before but has just viewed
the
greedgardener web site.

What is the advantage over just using beer on its own?


AndyP


Well, I'm not sure, but I think the special bait is much more effective
to attract slugs and snails. I can confirm that in my garden, the trap
with beer + bait seem to get far more than the one with just beer.
having said that, it was quite expensive and as I was saying, this
"special" bait looks to me like a mix of sugar and yeast...

Philippe


That makes me think I should experiment and make my own, not sure of the
proportions but if I just added a spoonful of baking (or brewer's yeast)
in
a 2 litre bottle of water with a spoon of sugar. This would certainly me
cheaper than using beer.

AndyP

Ah well this is where you need to use a little charm and save yourself a
fortune, all pubs have to clear out their pipes on a daily basis, they
should pull through at least one pint per tap at the start of a shift, if
you ask nicely I am sure they'll let you dump this all into a bucket, or old
pop bottles and take it home, at least if you explain you want it for beer
traps they might. This is how I get my 2-4 gallons of beer a week for my
traps.
Duncan