>> this is the time of the year they lay their eggs
Thanks for reminding me, Lynn! Every one we kill now means dozens fewer hatching next spring.
Last year I pulled some of the walls away from my raised beds and found slug egg masses. I wonder what would be best for zapping those: probably 1/10th strength or 1/5th strength ammonia would be better than peroxide or Clorox, and would be better for the soil.
>> non alcoholic beer. Will that work?
Colorado State University Entomology Professor Whitney Cranshaw did a study and found a rough inverse relationship between beer quality and power to attract slugs. "Kingsbury Malt Beverage" was their very favorite! (They didn't like pink Chablis or tap water.)
Sugar-water plus yeast was as effective as Coors or Miller Light, but not as good as Bud.
(Go here and then page down to the bottom:
http://www.ghorganics.com/page... )
If the non-alcholic beer doesn't draw them, try sugar-water plus yeast - one packet yeast plus 8 oz warm water plus a little sugar (I would start with 1/2 - 1 teaspoon as a guess - too much will slow their growth).
Probably best to incubate it warm or at room remperature for a while, so the yeast get active and multiply before being put out in the cold. Once the yeast start growing, you should be able to dilute it up up with more warm sugar water - say up to a quart or more. Maybe corn syrup could be substitued for sugar.