I'm seriously beginning to wonder . . .

Ana is right - we do have a few thrushes, but they like to knock the snails against a hard surface, which is why I throw them in the lane. I find whole armies of the things in nooks and crannies in my garden, but apart from hostas and delphiniums and the occasional row of baby lettuce, they do nowhere near as much damage as the birds do to my veg. As our soil is sandy, we don't get as many slugs as I have been used to in other soils, which is a blessing. If I walk across the patio here at night, I crunch. In Winchester, I slithered.

We've got a song thrush.

I have all my raised veg beds under mesh, they get in when small and can't get out again! I find them when I'm weeding. I have no shortage of birds - but they cause more trouble than the snails. The pigeons eat any unexposed veg, the sparrows take any soft leaf for nests. They are particularly fond of apple mint but are prepared to take squash leaves at a push.

In the fruit cage, sometimes the snails get stuck in the wire mesh after having feasted on raspberry and currant leaves. I take great pleasure in whacking them with my trowel when I find them!

There aren't that many birds that eat snails and slugs. Song thrushes do, but they're in decline.

Do birds not come in your garden and collect them, janer, saving you the trouble?

I have sprayed 'Nemaslug' twice this year. I have found 3 slugs. I think it's working !!!

I throw mine all out into the lane. I collect them in a pail with a lid during the day, then throw them out for the birds.

I have just been out to put the bins out and never noticed one snail, even though there are lots there in the morning when I go out.
I'm wondering if my neighbours lob them over the fences.

DH is very adept at launching snails over the six foot privet into the council owned playing field.
I think he would have found the copulating pair a challenge

vampirequeen That's how I felt! I went out just now to do some watering and the two snails are still deep in 'conversation'! Clearly speed is a concept that's passed them by and not just when it comes to travelling

I'd have left them alone. It can't be much fun being a snail so they need a little bit of loving when they can get it.

You were probably a Jain in a previous life, number.

I hate slugs, they`re completely yucky, but for some reason, I find snails attractive, the shells are usually very pretty. I KNOW they`re a slug with a shell, but they look so much nicer. I can`t kill any insect or creepy crawlie though, no matter how much I hate or fear them, I`m too squeamish.

Can't bring myself to squash, for various reasons.They go into a field opposite, but I always think they may wait a bit, and then begin their slow journey home again ( to our garden.)

I guess their usefulness is in feeding hedgehogs and foxes. Not when they are full of metaldehyde though. Far better to go on a late evening hunt and squash.

I could not knowingly squash slugs or snails it's the Yuk factor.

I go out in the garden on lily beetle picking duty but I cannot squash them. I drop them into a jar of water with washing up liquid in. Using it means the insects drown very quickly.

Quickly squashing slugs and snails underfoot is the best way to deal with them.

No, I would never stand on a snail or slug on purpose. But I have no qualms about flinging them as far as possible. Snails I pick up by the shells, snails on a shovel!

I can't stand on then, clogs or no clogs. I accidentally stood on one earlier , made me come over all unnecessary.....

Such snailism I'm sure they must do something useful in gardens??? No, I don't know what either!

I would have put DH's clogs on and squished them.

(although in my case it would have been into the shrubbery by the side of the railway track...)

Me too, loopy!

Compunction? Compassion?

I'd have chucked the copulating couple over my back fence into the woods!
No compunction at all where slimy molluscs are concerned.