‘Hug a slug’ plea as we’re warned ‘please do not wipe out our slimy buddies’
Gardeners are being asked to ‘hug a slug’ rather than trying to get rid of them as Kathryn Brown, from The Wildlife Trusts, said: “Slugs definitely need a helping hand with their image”
Gardeners are being urged to throw their arms around our slugs as their numbers dwindle due to the weather.
The Royal Horticultural Society has predicted there’ll be far fewer of the slimesters lurking about due to the cold snaps and recent dry spell. This compares to last year, when the mighty molluscs soared in number as the weather was more favourable with mild temperatures and buckets of rain.
Supporters are now once again urging Britain to ‘hug-a-slug’, just as the Daily Star has been campaigning on. And despite Alan Titchmarsh vowing he’ll “never be pals with slugs”, experts hope we can “learn to coexist” peacefully with the great gastropods.
Kathryn Brown, of The Wildlife Trusts, said: “Slugs definitely need a helping hand with their image. Only a small fraction of the slugs in the UK – and there are around 150 species of slugs and snails – pose problems for gardeners.
“The majority are positive contributors to our garden ecosystems. It would be wonderful if we could learn to coexist with them.”
The critter cheerleaders praised the key role they play in ecology, as they’re a “major part of the food chain” of all sorts of creatures, including hedgehogs, thrushes and frogs.
And they urged green-fingered Britons to “work with nature” and use slug-friendly methods to deter them from crops, instead of killing them.
This includes building shelters for the slugs, which makes them less likely to venture out into vegetable beds.
Ms Brown added: “Slugs are nature’s clean-up crews; molluscs feed on rotting plants, fungi, dung and even carrion, helping to recycle nitrogen and other nutrients and minerals back into the soil.
If you can’t see the poll above, click here
“They’re also a key food source for frogs, song thrushes and ground beetles. And they make up part of a hedgehog’s diet.”
TV god Chris Packham has warned that killing them destroys the “extraordinarily brilliant” opportunity to hear song thrushes in our gardens.
The wildlife presenter said “you can’t beat it” when it comes to encounters with slugs.
Gardening expert Loren Taylor, of Outdoor Fountain Pros, said: “Slugs aren’t just pests; they’re part of the whole cycle. Instead of wiping slugs out completely, focus on keeping things balanced.
“Encourage birds into the garden, keep hedgehog-friendly spaces, maybe even add a small pond to attract frogs. The best approach is to work with nature, not against it.
“Keep an eye on things, make small adjustments as needed, and don’t assume one season’s trend will last forever.”
Hayley Jones, the RHS’s principal entomologist, said: “The lower expected numbers are compared to the bumper year, so we expect it will be within the usual range of rising and falling populations.”
She said the main benefits slugs bring to our gardens include “eating rotting plant material”, helping to recycle it and release the nutrients back to the soil for plants to absorb.
