From: "Juan de Fuca" <hommes@olympus.net>
Date: Mon, 7 Jan 2002 12:18:36 -0800
To: <BiologicalBeekeeping@yahoogroups.com>
Subject: Re: slugs...

JULIA
In my previous suggestion I made reference to ventilation. You explained now
that you have 2 pallets and that is much better than having the hives in
contact with the soil. It does not solve the problem YOU are having in your
damp surroundings. Last year I opened a hive sitting on an elevated entry
( Concrete)4 feet of the ground and found large specimen of slugs as you described . The mess was so bad that the bees ignored the lower box.

My suggestion is to elevate the boxes onto a frame works with pipe legs at
a convenient hight above grade-level . Bricks are fine also. Wood tends to
absorb and keep moisture , therefore giving slugs a likable place to hang
around.

Another thing to do is a screen at the entry ,j ust big enough to let bees
pass but not mice and large slugs which must lay eggs first . There are of
course many solutions and there is pro and con to any method . I find the
least trouble is the convenient removable bottom screen above the bottom
board, which is also removable without hustling the boxes and disturbing the
bees. If you are not a believer in chemicals to kill the slugs , use salt to
keep them at bay , but that is a nuisance too to maintain and not efficient
.. In the end I am not clear about the influence the presence of slugs have
on the colony .Probably none other than a messy sight and slimy deposits ,
droppings and more slugs .
best wishes
Imker