Information on identifying slugs, controlling them by both chemical and nonchemical methods, their natural enemies and the slug parasitic nematode that may revolutionise their management. Garden centres make a fortune selling slug pellets more, probably, than from all the other pesticides put together. Only a fraction of the quantity sold is ever eaten by a slug, and a much smaller proportion will actually cause the death of one. Given also the fact that every year there are reports of pets and wildlife dying or being made seriously ill after eating slug pellets, it seems obvious that these poisons are not being used efficiently from the point of view either of controlling slugs or of environmental safety. There are two different active ingredients used in slug pellets metaldehyde and methiocarb. Both are readily available. However, most slug pellets used by gardeners are based on metaldehyde.

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