No idea fred, but I'm on my third lot of slater killer. Thaat's just for the pot plants and seed trays. Must be working as I have not seen a slater under any yet.:-))))

Hi Fred and Annabel
I have never had so many slaters in the garden as I have had this year! I know they like organic stuff to feed of, and I have put down lots of mulch etc over the summer, but they are just everywhere! I havn't minded them till now - but they have reached plague proportions and they are just everywhere. As you guys are also in WA, does it seem an extra bad year for them for yourselves too?
Annabel - what is the name of that slater killer and how is it used?
and I hope someone has an idea for the slater trap too.
Rach

Gardengirl, mix some bran with systemic insecticide and place in a container in places frequented by slaters. You will not get rid of them entirely but this method will reduce their numbers.

And the birds that eat the poisoned slaters? Perhaps that is the problem - there aren't enough healthy birds around to eat the slater population, so they breed up unrestricted.
Fredba - are the slaters actually damaging any plants or is it just that you don't like them being there? I used to collect them when i found large numbers, and feed them to my chooks.

Below is a link to some information about woodlice (slaters) and how to control.

Here is a link that might be useful: Woodlice

Also some information re the use of pesticides, and their effect on other species. them.

Here is a link that might be useful: Australian Wildlife

Thanks for the info. I don't want to go down the pesticide path, and would rather some sort of organic trap, much the same as I use to keep the flys down in summer. I think that is probably what Fred is after too so we don't have to resort to pesticides. I live in the SW of WA, with no shortage of birds around me - but the ones that frequent my garden are mostly parrots and honeyeating birds - I get the few that go through the roses and eat the aphids too - yet I have never noticed any birds scrounging around on on the ground in the garden and my patio looking for slaters unfortunantly. My mum has ducks and this keeps her slaters under control, but ducks aren't suitable for where I live (she has a lovely 5 acre garden even further into the SW from me) Nevermind, I will watch this thread with interest, and thanks to Jan for posting the links with the info about slaters - it made me remember that they are probably munching on my orchid roots which explains why they aren't looking to great this year, though I put that down to re-potting them a couple of months ago (but they are showing new signs of bulbs and growth appearing)
Rach

All the pots and boxes were infested. Lost loads of seeds as they germinated. There are no trees yet in my garden to attract birds, but I have a lot ready to go in with the winter rains. The bran and systemic insecticide sounds a good idea. That could be hidden under a tray. Any chance it kills snails?? The last lot of 'Slater Killer' was from Richgro and $2 cheaper than the 'Lawn Beetle and Slater Killer' and sprinkles more easily so using less. I don't use it on the garden. I'd need to buy it by the tonne:-((( But all the boxes I used for tomatoes etc out there were infested and the slaters just ate everything.

Itd FredBa again,
I have the slaters in a very small flower patch in which a frog has moved in,hence no poison and I dont want to get rid of all of them(spoilt frog) I heard that if you cut the bottom off a plastic bottle,dig it in to the lip level,then put some beer in the sods will fall in and drown, thanks to all

There is another thread on slaters in the tropical plants forum that may prove useful to you all.
Cheers,
Dee.

thanks Dee - will look it up too
it sounds like your slaters are as bad as mine Annabel, some pot plants are totally infested - they lose their potting mix so quick and when I go to repot - sure enough slaters have caused many channels through the pot, so they don't hold water either. I shake off dozens and dozens from the one pot. I don't want to resort to pesticides, but if the numbers don't reduce shortly with the change of season, I may be forced to, it's not like I have noticed any birds what so ever interested in my slaters anyway, as if they were, I wouldn't have this problem so bad (and the birds can't get under my pots etc to find them either). It seems to be a plague this year. Just glad those milipedes havn't found us yet.
Rach

I have lots of birds in my garden but they don't seem too interested in eating slaters however since the bandicoots arrived I have seen a big reduction in slater numbers, also I have seen bobtail lizards eating slaters and I would think frogs would eat them too. I put a piece of weed mat in the bottom of my pots over the drainage holes before filling with potting mix, this keeps the slaters out but does not interfere with drainage. It takes some time to build up a wildlife friendly garden from scratch but it is worth the wait.

I agree with Maryanne, have actually observed the Bandicoots here hunt down slaters and eat them, shame they aren't allowed to be kept as pets, they do clean up a lot of bugs in the garden.

Cheryl.

something from that link that I thought was reallly interesting was this "When necessary use ...liquid seaweed,"

I also get lots of slaters but in the garden they seem happy to just munch on my homemade compost and leave the plants alone, but something Ive noticed in my pots of cuttings and seeds is dead slaters, and Ive suspected it was the seasol killing them because I always use it on those pots and not much else goes on them. I just cant bring myself to use pesticides for things like this, I get so many bugs in my garden but the little willy wagtails and assorted honey eaters just love catching them so I couldnt bear to use them in case it poisoned somebody. even the herbs and vegies Ive grown from seed havent been affected by the slaters. Id be interested to know if anyone tries this though (the seasol for slaters), I still cant say for sure that it kills them but I just cant figure out what else is killing them in my seedling/cutting pots.

hmmm, I don't like using pesticides at all, and I don't want to either to control my plague. I hope some bandicoots find my house then!! Plenty of other wildlife around - just wish the birds would realise what a feast of slaters are in the garden beds and compost and all my pot plants! I havn't sprayed anything in the garden for a few years now - everything seems to look after it self, the wasps and birds clean up all the bugs that eat my plants, but there doesn't seem to be anything that has been able to control the slaters. But...I did seasol the other day around all my pot plants too, and when I was checking for slaters last night - it did seem as though there were a lot less around. I don't know if it is due so the cooler weather that has arrived - or the fact I seasoled on the weekend, so maybe that is helping their numbers. I think I will just have to deal with them and live with them and just hope their population drops - which I think it has with the cooler weather. Might try the beer trap - if anything I will trap some snails too - as they love beer!
Rach

iv heard of 2 methods on salter snail control

i hade a hell of a lot of oranges left from summer they were going rottern in the corner of the garden
so i cut then in halves and hollowed them out
1/2 bury then iin the soil
slaters/snails crawl in and get stuck

the other method iv not tryed is a jar of beer or wine
same buried in the ground they crawl in and drown