When I was a kid, we were told that slugs in the garden was a bad thing. But now I know it depends on the slug. Some will eat plants and veggies, but others are fine. I'm including a link if you want to id which kind you have. Article also has what the different kinds eat.

Here is a link that might be useful: Slugs of Florida

I think they eat decaying stuff but will also eat your favorite plants. known to get in green houses and eat ORCHIDS! you really want to get rid of them. I used some slug bait the other day because I was starting to see the monster variety in my leaf mulch and too close to plants I love.

My yard can be described as "Slug-O-Palooza" right now. I think I saw one the size of a small Volkswagon Beetle the other day. They are everywhere in my yard at the moment.

They seem to prefer the same type of plants that we do: young, sprouting, green shoots. They love beans and pepper plants and other veggies.

Raccoons and possums -- as well as many insect eating birds - love slugs.

They're doing a good job of turning my Swiss Chard into Swiss Cheese.

gardencpa - if the slugs are not bothering your plants - just ignore them . IF they are causing damage and this bothers you - then read on .

Slugs often get blamed for much plant damage when the real culprits are snails .

Slugs - are plant feeders . 9 ( or more ) species are found in Florida but only two are native . The brown ones with a pale stripe feed mainly on grasses while the larger brown slug prefers fungus .
The small inch long slugs are the ones that prefer plants and will chew the flowers and the leaves . These small slugs are especially active in the summer months . Like now !
Snails - are the ones putting the holes in the leaves .

Try the least toxic way to control slugs and snails . Always best to try the non-chemical way first .

Slugs are nocturnal . You can find them in the mornings gathered under a board . Remove and drop into rubbing alcohol .
At dusk , put out small bowls in the ground . Add beer and small amount of cut up fruit such as a banana . Check each morning and dump . Refresh each evening .

If snails and slugs are out of control - use a slug/snail product containing metaldehyde . Products can contain as little as 2% active ingredient all the way to 100% . This is dangerous to pets .
Try to put the granules or pellets in a piece of pvc or bamboo lying flat on the ground . This keeps the bait drier and away from other critters . Slugs and snails can crawl in and get to the poison but not other animals .
Do not sprinkle the bait out when it is going to rain or when there will be heavy dew . Apply at dusk for best results .

SO there you have way more info than you ever wanted to know about slugs . Sorry - I veered off on my teaching rant . Did not mean to lecture you !

Very interesting! Thanks for the info everyone and for the link, jelly. It is kind of creepy to see one slug after another on the page. I am not sure if I will be able to tell them apart because I don't like to get that close. I guess that until I get slug-o-palooza (love that!) myself or seem some damage, I will just wait for now.

These slimy things thrive on anything with a juicy stem. Wandering Jew, Zuchinni stems and several spring/summer flowers. My grandson looks for them and carries a salt shaker with him. They sahrivel up to almost nothing. I use a commercial Slug Bait and it works great.

Ever since the heavy rains, the snails have been going crazy around my bush beans and my elf sunflowers. Been baiting them with Sluggo and I already noticed a big difference in snail population.

An unusual and non-toxic (to wildlife other than slugs...) way to kill slugs that I discoverd is regular (non sugar-free) soda.

I buy the cheap store brand of rootbeer (.50 for a liter) and pour into a deep bowl and drop the slugs in as I find them. They drown pretty fast.

Then, the racoons and possums come by in the evening and consume the soda with the slugs.

I didn't have much luck with the beer bait. The slugs crawled in and then out with no adverse reaction. The soda seemed to kill them.

Melissa, if you decide to treat for them, use an iron phosphate product if you can. This is an organic treatment and very effective. It is not toxic to animals like metaldehyde is. It comes by various names. I think sluggo is one of them, maybe es-car-Go is one also.

It sounds like you are too squeamish about them to pick them off. I don't have slugs, but during rainy season I do have lots of snails. I try to pick them off and stomp them early morning or evening, but it took me a while before I was willing to do that. I do use the iron phosphate products on occassion if they get my favorite plants.

Anna

I just found a giant slug dining on my crinum lily! Slugs must DIE!

Well if I had Laura's problem, I would probably be less squeamish about them but yes, Anna, you are right. I kill lubbers by squishing them now because I have seen the damage they have wreaked upon my garden but not bare handed (you should see gatormomx2!) At first, I could not get near them but that faded after a while.

I did go out and take a look today and yes, there is some leaf damage. I am not sure I could keep the dogs out of either beer or soda. I will look into some of the non-toxic options though and see how it goes.

And by the way, I think Laura needs some intervention here. :o) I would hate to be a slug at her place right now.

M

Once you get over that initial ooginess - squishing by hand is automatic and fun .
Lubbers , slugs or snails do not bite , sting or have poisonous slime so squish away ! It is quite satisfying to rip the head off a lubber - especially after a tough day . The adults have a good crunch to them as do snails when you smush them between your fingers .
Slugs ? Not so much fun to just drop them in liquid .

I'm heading out to the barn to rummage and find small left over pieces of pvc pipe . I'll put snail/slug bait in those and place strategically near some plants under attack - but not in the yard filled with dogs . Hurray for fences !

lubbers and slugs get the clippers or the shoe. I'll squash beetles with my fingers but I will not get that slug slim on me if I can help it!!! very gross in IMO

When we moved not our house in 2000 we had major problems with snails and slugs. I finally went the beer route. I filled a number of small bowls with beer and placed them on the ground around high slug and snail traffic areas. In the morning, I'd find many snails and slugs in the bowls. Some mornings, I would find 100 snails in a bowl. Eventually, the numbers declined and I haven't had a problem since. Coincidently, I was pointing out a snail on my wife's basil to my son just this morning commenting that we haven't seen them in a long time. Not too long ago, we found a bottle of Budweiser in the kitchen with a born on date of May 2001. You can tell I'm no longer a beer drinker.