Overview

• The RHS and Wildlife Trusts have launched a campaign to change the negative perception of slugs among gardeners, emphasizing their ecological benefits.
• Slugs and snails, described as 'nature's clean-up crew,' play a crucial role in recycling nutrients back into the soil and providing food for various garden animals.
• Despite their benefits, some gardeners remain skeptical, citing the damage slugs can cause to plants and expressing frustration over efforts to control them.
• The campaign encourages gardeners to adopt more environmentally friendly practices, such as avoiding pesticides and creating habitats for natural predators of slugs.
• Only a small fraction of the 150 species of slugs and snails in the UK are harmful to gardens, suggesting that their impact can be mitigated with strategic gardening practices.