GB2373428A

GB2373428A - Slug traps

Info

Publication number: GB2373428A
Application number: GB0106838A
Authority: GB
Inventors: David Andrew Ford; Josef Richter
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2001-03-20
Filing date: 2001-03-20
Publication date: 2002-09-25
Anticipated expiration: 2021-03-20
Also published as: GB0106838D0; GB2373428B

Abstract

A slug trap (Figure 3) comprises an elongate member (10,42) for implanting, generally horizontally, part way into the ground (32). The member when so implanted forms a slug capture chamber (30), part way below ground level, in which slug bait and/or poison (34) can be placed. The member having at least one aperture (20) along its length to permit a slug to access the chamber from the outside. The slug bait or poison can therefore be contained in the chamber and the slugs have access to it through the aperture, but access to the bait or poison for larger creatures or children is more difficult, and the bait or poison is protected from the elements so as to prolong its life. In one form, the slug trap is disguised as a garden edging. Another slug trap (Figure 6) comprises a member (58) for placing on the ground (32) to form a stand (54) for a plant container (56) or garden ornament. The member has a slug capture chamber (30) in which slug bait and/or poison (34) can be placed. The member has at least one aperture (20) through a wall (62) thereof to permit a slug to access the chamber from the outside. The slug trap is therefore disguised as a normal garden feature, and the trap can be arranged to hinder access to the slug bait or poison by creatures larger than slugs and to protect the bait or poison from the elements so as to prolong its life.

Description

TITLE Slug Traps DESCRIPTION

This invention is concerned with slug traps.

It has been estimated that the population density of slugs in the ground in the United Kingdom is about two hundred slugs per cubic metre. It is well known that slugs are a serious problem to home gardeners and commercial growers because of the damage they cause through eating plants. One known way of tackling this problem is to part-bury a container, such as a jam jar, in the ground and to part-fill it with a substance to which the slugs are attracted, beer being a good example. The idea is that a slug which is passing by will be attracted by the substance in the container and will fall into the container, never to get out again alive. Another known way of tackling the problem is to sprinkle slug pellets on the ground, especially around plants which are more susceptible to attack. Slugs are seriously attracted to these lethal pellets, eat them and die. However, slug pellets dissolve or decompose when lying on wet soil, and get trodden into the ground by the gardener or grower tending their plants. Also, in order to provide effective protection, large quantities of pellets must be used. (It is estimated that the consumption of slug pellets in the United Kingdom is about four hundred billion pellets per year. ) In addition to the significant expense involved, some gardeners fear the effects that such quantities may have on their soil or the edible produce they grow. Furthermore, slug pellets may be eaten by pets, other animals and children and make them ill or worse.

A similar problem is caused by snails. In this specification, the term"slugs"is to be taken to include snails and other land molluscs.

The present invention was developed with the above-mentioned problems in mind.

A first aspect of the present invention provides a slug trap comprising an elongate member for implanting, generally horizontally, part way into the ground, the member when so implanted forming a slug capture chamber, part way below ground level, in which slug bait and/or poison can be placed, and the member having at least one aperture along its length to permit a slug to access the chamber from the outside. The slug bait or poison can therefore be contained in the chamber and the slugs have access to it through the aperture, but access to the

bait or poison for larger creatures or children is more difficult. Furthermore, the bait or poison is protected from the elements so as to prolong its life.

In one embodiment, the slug trap includes a further elongate member for burying in the ground, the first-mentioned member being engageable with the further member so that the further member provides a floor for the chamber. The slug bait or poison can therefore be placed on the floor of the chamber, and the first member can then be put in place so as to protect the bait or poison. This arrangement reduces the contamination of the ground by the slug bait or poison. Preferably, the member has a pair of wall portions joined by a roof portion, the chamber being formed between the wall portions and beneath the roof portion, and the aperture (s) being formed in the wall portion (s). Preferably, the member has at least one wing portion extending outwardly from the wall portion (s) below the level of the aperture (s). When used as a lawn edging, the wing portion enables the lawn to be mown with a lawn mower right up to the lawn edge without the need for trimming of the edge manually with shears or with a strimmer. Preferably, the or each member is formed as an extrusion.

A second aspect of the present invention relates to the use of the slug trap of the first aspect of the invention as a garden edging. The slug trap is therefore disguised as a normal garden feature.

A third aspect of the invention provides a garden edging comprising an elongate member for implanting, generally horizontally, part way into the ground, the member having a wall portion and at least one wing portion extending outwardly from the wall portion for covering the ground surface to the side of the wall portion. Again, the wing portion enables the lawn to be mown with a lawn mower right up to the lawn edge without the need for trimming of the edge manually with shears or with a strimmer.

In another embodiment of the first aspect of the invention, the member has a floor portion, first and second wall portions extending upwardly from the floor portion so as to provide the chamber therebetween, and a roof portion extending from the first wall portion so as to overlie the second wall portion, the aperture being provided between the second wall portion and the roof portion. Again, this can be arranged to hinder access to the slug bait or poison by creatures larger than slugs, to protect the bait or poison from the elements so as to prolong its life and to reduce contamination of the ground by the slug bait or poison. Preferably, the second wall portion has a lip extending in a direction away from the first wall portion.

Preferably, the member has a third wall portion extending upwardly from the floor portion on the opposite side of the first wall portion to the second wall portion so as to provide a further

such chamber between the first and third wall portions, and a further roof portion extending from the first wall portion so as to overlie the third wall portion, a further such aperture being provided between second wall portion and the roof portion. Preferably, the member is formed as an extrusion.

A fourth aspect of the invention provides a slug trap comprising a member for placing on the ground to form a stand for a plant container or garden ornament, the member forming a slug capture chamber in which slug bait and/or poison can be placed, and the member having at least one aperture through a wall thereof to permit a slug to access the chamber from the outside. The slug trap is therefore disguised as a normal garden feature, and the trap can be arranged to hinder access to the slug bait or poison by creatures larger than slugs and to protect the bait or poison from the elements so as to prolong its life.

Preferably, the member provides a wall portion around the chamber and in which the aperture (s) is/are provided, and an apron portion surrounding the wall portion. Preferably the member provides a base beneath the capture chamber so that the slug bait and/or poison is contained by the slug trap for safety reasons and so as not to contaminate the ground.

Preferably, the apron portion is inclined upwardly from ground level towards the level of the aperture (s). When the slug trap is used on a lawn, the apron portion enables the lawn to be mown with a lawn mower right up to the lawn edge without the need for trimming of the edge manually with shears or with a strimmer. The slug trap preferably includes a roof portion covering the chamber and providing a surface on which to stand the plant container or garden ornament. Preferably, the roof portion is provided by a further member separable from the firstmentioned member. Preferably, the slug trap further includes means for locking the further member to the first member for safety reasons.

A fifth aspect of the invention relates to the use of the slug trap of the third aspect of the invention as a stand for a plant container or garden ornament.

A specific embodiment of the present invention will now be described, purely by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is an isometric view of one member of a first embodiment of slug trap or garden edging; Figure 2 is an isometric view of another member of the slug trap of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a cross-sectioned view of a slug trap formed by the members of Figures 1 and 2 ; Figure 4 is a cross-sectioned view of a second embodiment of slug trap; Figure 5 is an exploded elevational view a third embodiment of slug trap and a plant pot; and Figure 6 is a cross-sectioned elevational view the slug trap of Figure 5.

Referring to Figures 1 to 3, the first embodiment of slug trap comprises two types of extruded plastics members, namely an upper member 10 and a lower member 12. The upper member 10 has an deep inverted U-shaped cross-section formed by a pair of upright wall portions 14 joined by a semi-circular roof portion 16. A pair of wing portions 18 extend outwardly from the wall portions 14 at about half-height level. A series of slots 20 is formed in each wall portion 14 just above the wing portion 18. Each slot 20 is large enough for a slug to be able to pass through the slot 20, but small enough that larger creatures and children cannot readily gain access to the interior of the member 10. For example, each slot 20 may have a height of about 8 mm and a length greater than that. The lower member 12 has a deep H-shaped cross-section formed by a pair of wall portions 22 and a joining portion 24. The wall portions 14 of the upper member 10 below the wing portions 18 are a snug fit between the wall portions 22 of the lower member 12 above the joining portion 24, and these wall portions 14,22 have complementary formations 26,28 so that the upper member 10 is a snap fit into the lower member 12 to form a slug capture chamber 30. The capture chamber may, for example, have a width 50 mm and a height of 80 mm.

When the slug trap is installed, a series of the lower members 12 is buried in the ground 32, with the lower members arranged end to end and with the upper edges of their wall portions 22 level with the ground surface. Slug pellets 34 are then sprinkled over the joining portions 24 of the lower members 12. A series of the upper members 10 is then snap-fitted into the lower members 12 so as to form a continuous capture chamber 30, and so that the wing portions 18 cover the ground 32 to either side of the capture chamber 30. The upper members 12 are preferably fitted so that their ends are offset from the ends of the lower members 10 to help maintain alignment of the lower members 12. Opposite ends of the upper members 10 may have complementary thinned formations 36,38 which are overlapped to assist in alignment of the upper members 10 and prevent gaps forming between adjacent members 10. Alternatively, separate linking elements may be provided. Slugs are attracted by the pellets 34 and enter the

capture chamber 30 through the slots 20. They eat the pellets and die in the capture chamber 30. Periodically, the upper members 10 may be removed, by squeezing them to release the snap-fit formations 26,28 and then lifting upwardly, so as to clean out the capture chamber 30 and replenish it with further slug pellets 34.

In addition to providing a slug trap, the above arrangement also provides a garden edging, and may be coloured or decorated accordingly. When used as an edging for a lawn 40, the wing portions 18 enable the lawn to be mown with a lawn mower right up to the lawn edge without the need for trimming of the edge manually with shears or with a strimmer. If the slug trap feature is not required, the upper members 10 may be used, without the lower members 12, as a garden edging.

Various modifications and developments may be made to the embodiment described above with reference to Figures 1 to 3. For example, rather than being extruded, the upper member 10 may, for example, be injection-or blow-moulded. In this case, the upper member 10 need not have a uniform cross-section. Instead, it may be shaped, for example, to represent a series of half-sawn logs or overlapping tiles, and be decorated accordingly. The joining portion 24 of the lower member 12 may be perforated so that, should any water enter the capture chamber 30, it can drain to the ground below so as to prolong the life of the pellets 34. Furthermore, the wall portions 22 of the lower member 12 need not extend so far, or indeed at all, beneath the joining portion 24 of the lower member 12.

Referring now to the second embodiment shown in Figure 4, a slug trap is provided by a single, extruded plastics member 42 having a base 44, a central wall 46 extending upwardly from the base 44 and a pair of side walls 48 extending upwardly from the base 44 and diverging to either side of the central wall 46. The upper edge of each side wall 48 has an outwardly extending lip 50. The upper end of the central wall 46, which is higher than the side walls 48, is capped with a roof 52 so as to form an umbrella over the side walls 48 and parts of the lips 50.

The member 42 therefore forms a pair of slug capture chambers 30 and a pair of continuous slots 20, between the lips 50 and the roof 52, to allow slugs to access the capture chambers 30.

The height of each slot 20 is, for example, 25 mm, and the width and height of the capture chambers 30 are, for example, 40 and 80 mm, respectively.

The slug trap of Figure 4 is installed by pressing the member 42 into the ground 32, possibly after forming a furrow in the ground for it if the ground is firm, so that the outer edges of the lips 50 are level with the surface of the ground 32. Slug pellets 34 are then placed into the capture chambers 30. The member 42 is preferably resilient so that the central wall 46 can

be tilted to one side and then to the other to assist in placing the slug pellets 34 in the chambers 30. Slugs are attracted by the pellets 34 and enter the capture chambers 30 through the slots 20.

They eat the pellets 34 and die in the capture chambers 30. Periodically, the capture chambers 30 may be cleaned out with water from a hosepipe and replenished with further slug pellets 34.

It should be noted that the roof 52 is domed or ridged so as to shed rain water to either side of the member 42 and that the lips 50 are inclined upwardly and inwardly to prevent light rain from entering the capture chambers 30.

Various modifications and developments may be made to the embodiment described above with reference to Figure 4. For example, the base 44 may be perforated so that, should any water enter the capture chambers 30, it can drain to the ground below so as to prolong the life of the pellets 34. Also, the member 42 may be modified so as to provide only one capture chamber 30.

Referring now to the third embodiment shown in Figures 5 and 6, a slug trap is provided in the form of stand 54 for a plant pot 56 or garden ornament. The stand 54 comprises a lower member 58 and an upper member 60 of injection-moulded plastics. The lower member has a generally cylindrical side wall 62 above a shallowly inclined circular apron 64, and a base 65 at the bottom of the side wall 62 so as to form a slug capture chamber 30. A number of arcuately extending slots 20 are provided in the side wall 62 to allow slugs to access the capture chamber 30. Each slot 20 may have a height of, for example, about 8 mm and a length greater than that. The upper member 60 is in the form of a circular tray with a downwardly depending cylindrical skirt 66 that fits over the side wall 62. The skirt 66 and side wall 62 have complementary formations 68,70 to form a bayonet lock between them, and markings 72,74 to indicate the unlocked position of the bayonet lock.

In use, the lower member 58 is placed on the ground 32, and slug pellets 34 are sprinkled inside the capture chamber 30. The upper member 60 is then fitted to the lower member 58 and locked in position, and a plant pot 56 or garden ornament is placed on the upper member 60. Slugs are attracted by the pellets 34 and enter the capture chamber 30 across the apron 64 and through the slots 20. They eat the pellets 34 and die in the capture chamber 30.

Periodically, the capture chamber 30 may be cleaned out by unlocking and removing the upper member 60, and replenished with further slug pellets 34.

When the slug trap of Figures 5 and 6 is used on a lawn 40, the apron 64 enables the lawn to be mown with a lawn mower right up to the slug trap without the need for trimming of the edge manually with shears or with a strimmer.

Various modifications and developments may be made to the embodiment described above with reference to Figures 5 and 6. For example, the lower member 58 may be constructed as two pieces bonded together, namely a generally flat circular piece that provides the apron 64 and the base 65 of the slug chamber 30, and a generally cylindrical piece that provides the side wall 62.

It should be noted that the embodiments of the invention have been described above purely by way of example and that many modifications and developments may be made thereto within the scope of the present invention.

Claims

CLAIMS (The reference numerals included in the claims are not to be taken as affecting the scope of the claims.)

1. A slug trap comprising an elongate member (10, 42) for implanting, generally horizontally, part way into the ground (32), the member when so implanted forming a slug capture chamber (30), part way below ground level, in which slug bait and/or poison (34) can be placed, and the member having at least one aperture (20) along its length to permit a slug to access the chamber from the outside.

2. A slug trap as claimed in claim 1, and including a further elongate member (12) for burying in the ground, the first-mentioned member (10) being engageable with the further member so that the further member provides a floor (24) for the chamber.

3. A slug trap as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the member (10) has a pair of wall portions (14) joined by a roof portion (16), the chamber being formed between the wall portions and beneath the roof portion, and the aperture (s) being formed in the wall portion (s).

4. A slug trap as claimed in claim 3, wherein the member has at least one wing portion (18) extending outwardly from the wall portion (s) below the level of the aperture (s).

5. The use of a slug trap as claimed in any preceding claim as a garden edging.

6. A garden edging comprising an elongate member (10) for implanting, generally horizontally, part way into the ground (32), the member having a wall portion (14) and at least one wing portion (18) extending outwardly from the wall portion for covering the ground surface to the side of the wall portion.

7. A slug trap or garden edging as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the or each member is formed as an extrusion.

8. A slug trap or garden edging substantially as described with reference to Figures 1 to 3 of the drawings.

9. A slug trap as claimed in claim 1, wherein the member (42) has a floor portion (44), first and second wall portions (46,48) extending upwardly from the floor portion so as to provide the chamber therebetween, and a roof portion (52) extending from the first wall portion so as to overlie the second wall portion, the aperture being provided between the second wall portion and the roof portion.

10. A slug trap as claimed in claim 9, wherein the second wall portion has a lip (50) extending in a direction away from the first wall portion.

11. A slug trap as claimed in claim 9 or 10, wherein the member has a third wall portion (48) extending upwardly from the floor portion on the opposite side of the first wall portion to the second wall portion so as to provide a further such chamber (30) between the first and third wall portions, and a further roof portion (52) extending from the first wall portion so as to overlie the third wall portion, a further such aperture (20) being provided between second wall portion and the roof portion.

12. A slug trap as claimed in any of claims 9 to 11, wherein the member is formed as an extrusion.

13. A slug trap substantially as described with reference to Figure 4 of the drawings.

14. A slug trap comprising a member (58) for placing on the ground (32) to form a stand (54) for a plant container (56) or garden ornament, the member forming a slug capture chamber (30) in which slug bait and/or poison (34) can be placed, and the member having at least one aperture (20) through a wall (62) thereof to permit a slug to access the chamber from the outside.

15. A slug trap as claimed in claim 14, wherein the member provides a wall portion (62) around the chamber and in which the aperture (s) is/are provided, and an apron portion (64) surrounding the wall portion.

16. A slug trap as claimed in claim 14 or 15, wherein the member provides a base (65) beneath the capture chamber.

17. A slug trap as claimed in claim 15 or 16, wherein the apron portion is inclined upwardly from ground level towards the level of the aperture (s).

18. A slug trap as claimed in any of claims 14 to 17, and including a roof portion (60) covering the chamber and providing a surface on which to stand the plant container or garden ornament.

19. A slug trap as claimed in claim 18, wherein the roof portion is provided by a further member (60) separable from the first-mentioned member (58).

20. A slug trap as claimed in claim 19, further including means (66, 68) for locking the further member to the first member.

21. A slug trap substantially as described with reference to Figures 5 and 6 of the drawings.

22. The use of a slug trap as claimed in any of claims 14 to 21 as a stand for a plant container or garden ornament.