I don't know if anyone has ever come across this and please excuse if some of it sounds a little crude!

We are allotmenteers and keep a bucket in our shed for the collection of "human liquid compost activator" - no toilets on the site, see.

Charlie unwittingly used the "facilities" while there was a slug in it which immediately "kicked the bucket". Thinking this might be a fluke the experiment was repeated (we have plenty of slugs to spare!) and the same thing happened.

Are there any biologists out there who can say why this is? My own guess is that it is the electrolyte level of the liquid, but we're curious.

We don't think this will have a practical use in keeping slugs off plants as it would probably neutralize on contact with the soil or put too much nitrogen in for some plants. (We know about the connection between nitrogen, nettles and human habitation)

Any comments?

Did the slugs just drown, or was death almost instantaneous?
Cathy & "Charlie" wrote
in message s.com...
I don't know if anyone has ever come across this and please excuse if
some of it sounds a little crude!

We are allotmenteers and keep a bucket in our shed for the collection
of "human liquid compost activator" - no toilets on the site, see.

Charlie unwittingly used the "facilities" while there was a slug in it
which immediately "kicked the bucket". Thinking this might be a fluke
the experiment was repeated (we have plenty of slugs to spare!) and the
same thing happened.

Are there any biologists out there who can say why this is? My own
guess is that it is the electrolyte level of the liquid, but we're
curious.

We don't think this will have a practical use in keeping slugs off
plants as it would probably neutralize on contact with the soil or put
too much nitrogen in for some plants. (We know about the connection
between nitrogen, nettles and human habitation)

Any comments?
--
Cathy & Charlie
Cathy & Charlie, Ashford, Kent.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
posted via www.GardenBanter.co.uk

[quote]Originally posted by Di
[b]Did the slugs just drown, or was death almost instantaneous?


No, we thought of that but they could have crawled out of the way (wasn't that much liquid!). They twisted up and opened their breathing holes wide (well, you would wouldn't you!)

In article m, Cathy
&amp said:

Any comments?

Could be a similar effect to applying salt. Death by osmosis?


--
Neil Trotter, Canewdon, UK

Cathy & "Charlie" wrote
in message s.com...
Di wrote:
[b]Did the slugs just drown, or was death almost instantaneous?


No, we thought of that but they could have crawled out of the way
(wasn't that much liquid!). They twisted up and opened their
breathing holes wide (well, you would wouldn't you!)

The attribution marks seem to have gone for a Burton here. Who actually
said what?

Franz

Maybe it was something Charlie drank the night before? I hear they get attracted to beer...

Xref: kermit uk.rec.gardening:162833

On Sat, 30 Aug 2003 16:12:16 GMT, Cathy & Charlie
wrote:

(We know about the connection
between nitrogen, nettles and human habitation)

We don't. Do tell!

Liz