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Ecological Solutions Roundtable BY BECKY LONG The Pacific
Northwest's temperate moist climate and frequent overcast days
make it a slug and snail paradise. In Eugene, Oregon, the
ubiquitous gastropod has become part of an annual celebration; a
parade features a 40-foot slug and residents compete for the
honor of being selected «Slug Queen.» Despite this tongue in
cheek celebration of the slug, common responses to slugs and
snails range from gastronomic delight to outright loathing. An
assortment of least-toxic strategies can bring your slug and
snail population under control. Slugs and snails are mollusks,
relatives of dams and oysters, not insects. There are several
hundred species of snails and approximately 40 species of slugs
in the United States. They come in a variety of sizes and colors
and eat a wide assortment of plants. Introduced species have
developed into serious pests whereas most native species tend to
do little damage. Both slugs and