Naked Science Forum
Life Sciences => Plant Sciences, Zoology & Evolution => Topic started by: FuzzyUK on 04/10/2010 10:12:02
-
I've just found a whopping great six inch long yellow slug crawling around on my wet lawn!
How long would it take to die if I sprinkle salt on it and is it a painless death? I gather the organism dehydrates when this is done.
No funny answers please. This is a technical question.
-
Salt on a slug will act immediately, drawing water out of the body, causing dehydration. The amount of salt used would determine the outcome. Slugs do have a simple protective reaction system, but they don't scream when salt is poured on them. Any hissing sound is caused by the action of the water being drawn out of the slug.
Putting enough table salt (sodium chloride) on the slug will kill it, but the salt can be bad for your lawn or other plants too. Best to use Epsom salts (magnesium sulphate)
-
Death by beer seems more humane [:)] ...
[ Invalid Attachment ]
http://www.slugoff.co.uk/slug-solutions/killing-slugs/beer-trap.html
-
..or, you can collect them in upturned grapefruit skins and rellocate them to your neighbour's garden.
-
... rellocate them to your neighbour's garden.
If they have a mobile home on their back better relocate them more than 30m ...
Helix aspera, the garden snail, has a strong homing instinct over 30m.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-11306681
-
Slugs usually do not die from being bathed in salt. You will see them fizz and excrete mucous, but if you watch, after a while they will "crawl" from the slime. Though, they will be much diminished in size.
-
Slugs usually do not die from being bathed in salt. You will see them fizz and excrete mucous, but if you watch, after a while they will "crawl" from the slime. Though, they will be much diminished in size.
This wouldonly be the case if the amount of salt was quite small or the slug quite large. But if you were to 'bathe' a slug in salt (implying copious amounts) it could not survive the dehydration nor the caustic effect upon its cells.
-
Their motion through their own mucus over the copper strip builds up an electrical charge.
http://davesgarden.com/guides/articles/view/2357/
I prefer salt after preperation with my beer.
Recipe:
Escargots au beurre d’ail (Escargot in butter and garlic)
1 tablespoon (6 grams) parsley, finely minced
1 teaspoon (6 grams) shallot, finely minced
1 tablespoon (9 grams) garlic, finely minced
1/4 teaspoon (2 grams) salt
1/4 teaspoon (1 gram) freshly ground black pepper
1/2 tablespoon white wine
1 teaspoon cognac
a dash of nutmeg
6 tablespoons (90 grams) butter, softened
12 escargots de Bourgogne
Pound parsley, shallot and garlic in a mortar into a paste. Combine with salt, pepper, wine, cognac, and nutmeg. Combine with butter. Alternately, place parsley, shallot, garlic, salt, pepper, wine, cognac, and nutmeg in the bowl of a mini-food processor and process until minced. Add butter and process to combine.
Better than cardboard tasting foods.
-
"Their motion through their own mucus over the copper strip builds up an electrical charge."
No it doesn't.
-
"Their motion through their own mucus over the copper strip builds up an electrical charge."
No it doesn't.
Yes you are correct!!!! To bad it didn't, could maybe light up the ole shack at the cost of a snail pace.
I (grumble in humility) read some incorrect information in that URL... Thanks Bored Chemist
I went to investigate what I read, I read it correctly, but the info was wrong. I should of confirmed before exposing.
I found a different link and found that a copper strip with a small electrical charge will detour the little critter.
Escargot, properly prepared, does taste better then veal.