Sally, its awful and I can feel your disappointment and frustration! I hate them too as so does most people, they are EVIL. I read in the daily mail online today that we now have from Europe a new larger type of snail Invasion of the giant Spanish slug: Voracious alien creatures munching on our gardens after weather creates perfect conditions
By EMMA REYNOLDS
PUBLISHED: 09:18, 2 July 2012 | UPDATED: 17:53, 2 July 2012
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The recent unsettled weather is not just a nightmare for day-trippers - it is also causing an invasion of Spanish slugs to destroy our gardens.
Heavy rain and warm spells have provided the perfect conditions for the giant alien pest, which grows to more than 10cm (4in) long and produces hundreds more eggs than the typical British slug.
The olive green animal is mating with our native slugs to create powerful, highly fertile breeds that will overrun the country.
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Slippery customer: The aggressive stealth slug (pictured) threatens to overrun gardens and create a dangerous hybrid by mating with our native molluscs
In the North West of the US, the hybrids have even become a threat to drivers because they leave behind huge slimy patches when they are squashed, made worse by cannibal slugs devouring their own brothers and sisters.

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Slug expert Les Noble, from Aberdeen University, told The Times that Britain was not taking the threat of the Arion Flagellus seriously enough.
B&Q is reporting a 74 per cent increase in sales of slug pellets and Dr Noble says squashed slugs have been covering the streets of North Wales and upland in the West Country.
'The invasive species is carrying diseases and parasites that are going to wipe out our native slugs', said Dr Noble.
'Our slugs self-fertilise and are so highly inbred they can't keep pace with new diseases and parasites, and together with several other snails may become extinct.'

Sluggish: Flooding and warm weather have created the perfect conditions for rampaging gastropods. Pictured, Edgbaston
A fellow Spanish super slug, Arion vulgaris, has invaded northern Europe, particularly Norway.
The slimy molluscs have been crawling over flower beds and destroying lettuces, beans, wheat and other produce.
It is even feared that the invasion could push up the price of chips because of its effect on potato harvests.
Organic growers are finding it particularly hard to keep them at bay because they do not use chemicals or pesticides to spray on their crops. All they can do is cut back vegetation around their crops to remove hiding places for slugs and snails, or encourage birds who feed on them.
Slugs are very resilient creatures capable of surviving harsh environments before breeding rapidly when conditions suit.
The free-roaming gastropods are capable of moving up to five metres a night and can detect food from 60 centimetres away.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2167558/Spanish-slugs-munching-gardens-weather-creates-perfect-environment.html#ixzz1zVOmbzEc

How the hell can you be an expert in slugs?
What sad person suddenly wakes up one day and decides to become such an expert?

And this invading slug, how on earth does it get here? Has it got wings, can it swim?

I blame Cameron and our customs people, They are spending too much time looking for drugs and terrorists when they should be looking more for the people smuggling these creatures in as pets.

:( that is not what I wanted to read before bedtime... I know I missed a few tonight when I was on squish patrol :( grrrr hate them :(

Oh, me too. I get more snails than slugs, but they're just as bad. My new lupins were ruined. :-((((

Aha! You see....all this hippy organic craze and in no time at all we all starve.....I was right!

Do you remember the copper scouring pads, (if you can still get them) I can't remember if it was gqt or I read that cutting them up and unravelling them then around the plants is a cheaper way of protecting them....so 'they'say...

It wasme suggested the copper scouring pads and you can get them online on the big shop!!!!!
other than that you could all get ducks. Mine love the french cuisine. Lupins, Delphs, Dahlias (in the ground since last year) all doing really well except for the constant weather damage.

Last week there was some enthusiasm for shooting pigeons and casseroling them. It sounds to me like we need the guns for the slugs and snails. Anyone for Slugattele?

Dig a hollow in the soil not too near a plant you value. Lightly salt the hole. Then go on a 'slug crawl' with a pick up stick or use a leaf to pick up. Transfere slimey so and sos to said hole, and re salt lightly as needed. Cover up with soil and walk away feeling a job done.......till next time.

Cornish, I'm interested in your reference to 'useless wool pellets'. Do you mean Slug Gone? and do I take it was ineffective? I'm curious as to whether, because of all the rain, slug gone gets sodden and provides a welcome mat, rather than remaining dry and detering the blighters...

Thank you all - I think......all the stuff about Spanish invaders was very depressing though when I looked on the internet it said that they have been in this country for years. Scrumpgrat & Cutsandgraz thank you for making me laugh!
Yes Bamboo, I did mean Slug Gone. I can't see how it could absorb some of the slug slime when it's already completely sodden. I did wonder if the slimers were actually sitting underneath it but I've just been out & had a poke around & can't see any. It just doesn't seem to do anything - the snails on the dahlias last night were massive & must have had to tromp right across the thick mat of it I'd put down.
Bitter? Me?
Ha!

I saw about 20 all over my ground elder "patch" last night.....think they were eating it so left them to it, if they take to that they are saving me a job? - but they were HUGE..........that was after squishing at least 30 of the blighters....am trying sunken jars full of beer again tonight.....and will get some copper scouring pads.

Thanks, Cornish - I had a horrible feeling the stuff would only be useful when the weather's dry. Which effectively means its useless...

Just a small caveat. The Mail article has about as much scientific veracity as the report of Aliens eating my Granny, or the one where someone is supposed to have put a mini on the Moon and then removed it.

I knew I heard it somewhere 2ndhand.....it works then?

We don,t seem too bad but maybe we've got a hedgehog, sadly no thrushes this year but some blackbirds do they like them?

What blackbirds like best is my strawberries!

Forgot to say thanks Owdboggy. I did like the bit in the Mail article about the threat to the price of chips!

4 inches is not a giant slug. the one I saw this morning crossing our lane was almost 8 inches long. Not to worry, his/her kind is definitely carnivorous.
The slug which produces the most slime is one called The Leopard slug, because of its colouring (green and yellow) but even that one would be hard pressed to produce enough to make a car skid.
Can you imagine the Insurance claim form. "I came round a bend and there was a slug in the road and I skidded on it and went into the hedge."
They would laugh themselves sick!

Eight inches???? I don't feel very well...

YUK! :-(((((

Carry a sharp-edged stone around with you and use it to slice the b*****s in half. If the stone gets too mucky, discard and find another one. In my case, lizards come to clear up the remains - in Britain I guess a blackbird, thrush or frog might say 'thanks.'

No wonder the slugs are so huge.....there is so much to eat, with all this rain plus mild temperatures.