On 22/8/07 17:40, in article ,
"John T" wrote:


"David (Normandy)" wrote in message
...

"Mary Fisher" wrote in message
t...

"John T" wrote in message
...


Create them a nice home in your garden, and you are a long way towards a
good, non toxic, biological control system for slugs.

John
I thought that was toads ... we have frogs. And slugs.

Mary

We have frogs, toads, salamanders, thrushes, blackbirds - and slugs and
snails.

David.


I have toads, and dont have too much of a slug problem (touch wood!) in my
new home, i have some friends who deliberately set up a frog habitat to
control a slug problem, and it worked.

From the RSPCA web site:
Gardeners' friend
Gardeners should welcome frogs and toads - both eat a lot of beetles, bugs
and woodlice. Frogs also eat a large number of slugs and snails, and toads
favour ants.
Don't be surprised if you find toads or frogs in your greenhouse - they are
attracted by the warm, moist conditions and will live quite happily eating
the insects and other small creatures that also live there.
Garden hazards
Frogs and toads are often the victims of careless strimming and mowing,
especially in grass that is not kept closely mown. Nylon gardening netting,
used to protect fruit and vegetables, can trap and slowly kill amphibians
and other wildlife.
If you use nylon netting make sure the mesh size is at lease 4cm (1.5in) and
kept taut. And always check your bonfire pile before lighting it!
Later on
During the autumn, as night-time temperatures drop towards freezing point,
frogs and toads look for winter quarters. Female and immature frogs and most
toads overwinter on land in sheltered places such as under old logs or in
stone walls.
Most male frogs return to the water and lie dormant at the bottom of the
pond. If the pond freezes over for a long time, there may be problems for
the frogs - they will suffocate when all the oxygen in the water has been
used. This risk can be reduced by regularly melting the ice on part of the
pond by placing a pan of hot water on it. This method cuts out the
possibility of shock waves harming whatever is living in the pond.
Dead frogs?
There has been an apparent increase in the number of unusual deaths of
frogs, particularly in garden ponds in the summer. Symptoms vary but can
include emaciation, ulceration of the skin and haemorrhage's.

--
Sacha
http://www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
(remove weeds from address)
'We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our
children.'