Cosy Slug Hutt Plans | Good hunting and good luck

The Cosy Slug Hutt, Slug and Snail Trap.

Hello, and Thank You for Being Here, I hope you find this explanation easy to follow and understand

OK. You’ve read this & looked at the images below, and got all your stuff together; all you need to know now are sizes for the Baiter parts and Hutt Cover.

These I’ve left out of the plans on purpose, on account of the fact that the overall size is really going to be down to you, sizes I used are below.

This is because some of you will want a small unobtrusive trap, while others who may have a bigger problem than aesthetics, i.e. a larger population of slugs, may wish to make a larger Tray for your Baiter, and use a large Hutt as I did.

The Tray can be round or square; round makes more sense, as most covers for the Hutt that will be at hand no doubt will be so.

THIS TRAY ideally should be ‘NOT too deep’, so as to allow the bait’s aroma circulation at Ground level, without “digging it in” making it easier for you to move it around, and the slugs and snails to locate and enter.

On this Tray, once located with Baiter, you place enticing recycled food for consumption, this is the first visiting place, once our visitors arrive, they then notice the delicious juices above them in the enclosed baiter, and hang around knowing there is food, and feeling safe in this dark and abundant Hutt.

The Tray should in any event, cover as much of the soil or grass inside the Hutt as possible.

NOTE: IN my photographs, you will see that I used a Bowl as well as a tray, WE can do without this, as the bowl needs to be “dug in”, which isn’t a lot of good on your lawn,

The Hutt cover should have 35mm. notches or arches cut into the rim, to allow entry, this I found more stable than simply bunging a stick or a couple of stones under.

Ventilate what is now the top of the Hutt [the base of bin] with small holes, and then cover over, but not block off the vents, with a something waterproof and place a weight, brick, flints, stones, whatever you have at hand, to secure the waterproofing, I used an old rubber car mat and a half brick. You can if you wish, stake the Hutt cover down.

The best results that I found gave me sizes as follows:-

Tray… i used the lid of a large paint tub, Being 290 mm. diameter.

The Hutt cover….. I used an old black plastic bin, being 310 mm. inside diameter, and 400 mm. high, ventilated.

Stake…..to be around 15/20mm. wide, 100 mm. in the ground, from the Tray up to the Stop Peg, 50 mm.

Above the stop peg, leave sufficient length and gentle shaping so as to allow your baiter to sit easily and safely.

Stop Peg…..I rebated my stake so that the baiter wouldn’t slip down it, you can do as you wish, but in any event, the baiter must stay 50 mm. off the ground/tray, drill a small hole in the stake and engage a nail or a dowel of plastic or wood. This is the preferred method as it allows you to clamp the charged baiter, as you will see. Alternatively, you may fix by suspending from the top of the stake, there’s no need to make this harder than necessary, just so as its Safe and Solid.

Hollow Baiter……this is the gem of the Cosy Slug Hutt, the Tempter.

Take two pieces of 12.5 mm wire mesh that are 300 mm square cut or fold in half, [ if you only have large gauge mesh, double up on size, and cut or fold ] offsetting the mesh as you go, to make the mesh gauge smaller so visitors can’t get inside easily.

Turn up the edges into a half ball or rectangle, cut away any rough bits that wont fold into you design, and using tying wire, [bits of your mesh will do] as hinge so as to be able to insert bait, and re-close. REMEMBER: to create large enough HOLES for the stake to pass through.

OR … should you have an old child’s play ball at hand, drill some 3/16 holes in the lower face, then cut a flap into the upper side, leaving an attached flap, so you may cover once charged with juicy bait.

As mentioned above, at this stage your baiter should ideally be sitting on a Stop Peg, this allows a little force, should it be needed to be applied, closing the baiter against our visitors.

There you have it my friends, one Cosy Slug Hutt slug & Snail Trap

Answers To Your Questions.

Where do I place my Hutt? :-

Take a torch & a gentle wonder around your garden after dark, or earlier on dull days, in the spring, you’ll see where and from which direction your visitors are coming. Make a note of these, draw a map, [you have other things on your mind], so you know just where to go, and rotate the Hutt around the entire garden, in the infested areas, leave the Hutt for a couple of nights ... make a few traps, spend less time moving them (:

When’s the best time to set up the Hutt? :-

Just before sunset, or on cooler days, once the Dew has started to form, that’s when they pop out mostly, when the garden is Moist.

I remind you, with More dull wet & moist days we see our friends out and about more often ..

What do I do with All These Slugs? :-

When you go to empty your Hutt, take a plastic bag, and with a flat stick, scrape them out and into the bag, put the old leftovers in with them, you’ll find there will be baby slugs in there.

When you go to empty your Hutt, take a plastic bag, and with a flat stick, scrape them out and into the bag, put the old leftovers in with them, you’ll find there will be baby slugs in there.

there are a few methods of disposal; you can choose to recycle them to the local refuse site via. Your dustbin, or freeze them in a clean bag, then compost them .. should you not wish to kill, then take your haul for a walk with the dog, and free them near a river or a pond .. the frogs & toads with love the table you lay ...

The best results I found:-

were when visiting the Hutt Late at night, before going to bed, and in the morning before sunrise, this may be a little early for some, but if you can do this just for the first week, your slug population will plummet.

This is a Market Model of our Cosy Hutt Baiter, no matter what your baiter looks like, it will be hidden inside the Hutt, so don’t worry too much, to catch them is the issue.

Over Winter Traps:-

As you can see from the photos, Over Winter traps can be cheap and effective.

Place old plant pots, Ridge Tiles & Such around your garden in sheltered corners, under hedges, in long grass, and cover with something waterproof, being sure to leave sufficient room for the slugs and snails to hibernate.

Create dry places for them to hibernate with old tiles or slate, old wooden boards, by placing some flat and building an enclosed tent for them to enter, again under hedges, in sheltered spots around the garden, and in long grass.

Two boards with some blocks between them will shelter them as long as you keep out the wet.

Wishing you all the best,

Red.

Peace.