Don't know much about what they like to eat but here is some information
about how to control them, published by the Alabama Cooperative Extension
Service (http://www.aces.edu/Colbert/Colbert_...ews080902.html).
CONTROLLING SLUGS - Gardeners dislike just about anything that makes a meal
out of their plants. And one small creature has a big appetite. Slugs will
munch on everything from seedlings to mature plants. Slugs are mollusks
and are related to snails. Unlike snails and many other mollusks, slugs do
not have shells. Their length and color varies. Slugs prefer dark places
and are found under boards, stones, mulch or flower pots among other places.

A good indicator of their presence are slime trails which they secrete and
leave behind as they move around.

Slugs feed mainly at night and will eat a variety of plants. They typically
chew ragged holes in leaves, especially those near the soil surface.

You'll can control slugs by using a combination of controls. Effective
methods include sanitation, trapping, hand-picking,
barriers and baits.

If you're not the squeamish type, hand-picking can be very effective, if you
don't have a major infestation of slugs. Head into the garden an hour or so
after dark armed with a flashlight and a pail of water. Pick the slugs off
your plants and drop them into the bucket.

If you have a major infestation, you may need to add other controls to
hand-picking for effective control. Most retail garden centers sell
commercially prepared baits in pellet or liquid form. These baits are
useful but can be toxic to pets and children if eaten. Baits may contain
mesurol or metaldehyde and should be place after a rain or after watering
when slugs will be more active. Read and follow the label instructions
carefully if you use any of these products.

Beer is a popular option and research has shown it can provide good control.
Sink a shallow dish such as the ones microwave meals are packaged in
the ground so the top is at ground level. Fill the container with beer.
The slugs will be attracted to the beer, crawl into the container and
drown.Refill the container as needed.

A narrow border of sharp sand or cinders around a bed or border will serve
as an effective barrier against them. A sprinkling of slaked lime or wood
ashes along a row of tender plants will keep slugs away because their
bodies are sensitive to these materials.

Eliminating habitat will help reduce the number of slugs around your home
and yard. Remove decaying wood and other debris on shady grounds. Thin
plants to allow for more light and air movement. Don't put heavy mulch
layers around susceptible plants. An effective trap is a small piece of
board or similar material. Lay on the ground in areas where you're finding
slug damage. Each morning, flip over the boards, collect the slugs and
destroy them.

"Zemedelec" wrote in message
...
What attracts slugs to a particular plant? Last year they ate up all my
hostas down to the ground; now the hostas are untouched, but they've gone
to
work on my beautiful (once) zantedeschia in a completely different part of
the
garden.
zemedelec