School for Young Slugs (& Children)

Remember how I told you about the slugs I\’ve caught in my office.  I asked you how to help me stop them from eating my papers like this:

You came up with lots of ideas, including giving the slug paper with no words on it to eat (so it wouldn\’t matter if it got chewed), finding the holes where they are getting in and plugging them up, and making traps.  Last week, we took flashlights into the office to look for slime trails.  We found some on the carpet and even in the trash can!  You found some cracks near the baseboards where you thought the slugs might be getting in, so I plugged up the cracks.

Today, some kids wanted to make traps for the slugs.  You said you needed wood and glue.  Some people also put paper on the traps since we know that these slugs like to eat paper.

You made LOTS of traps, and we brought them into the office before rug time.

This afternoon after class, I was working in my office for awhile.  I had gotten up to answer the phone and when I came back, this is what I saw:

Can you see the one slug in the back that\’s coming out from under the baseboard?  Now we know where they\’re coming from!   That slug slid back under the baseboard but I quickly got some of your traps ready for the other two slugs.

They came over and examined the traps while I went to get the jar to put them in. One used its lower tentacles to feel and smell the trap.

The traps kept the slugs interested so they didn\’t slither away while I got the jar.  They seemed really curious about the traps.   I put these two slugs into the jar, adding some wet leaves for them to eat.  And some paper!  Then, I put some silicone in the crack where the slugs had been coming in to plug it up like you guys suggested.  Before I left to go home, I put out all the rest of the traps you made in case any more slugs are in the office or if they get in through some other holes.

When we come back to school on Thursday, I\’ll let you know if we caught any more.

Thanks so much for all of your help!!

Love,

Susan