Snails in letterboxes

[postmanzach]

Every day i empty boxes and see snails on the mail, I take the snails out and chuck them in the bush but they keep coming back. They eat the stamps and eat right through the letters to.

Any one else deal with this? Manager says poison cant be used becasue of health and safety. Feel bad for the customers that will end up with surcharges.

[Darwinsdad]

Pretty sure I read/watched something a few years ago where they said snails had some sort of homing instinct but if you move them over 20 metres away it can be overcome.

[Jpro747]

[crimson king]

Pretty sure I read/watched something a few years ago where they said snails had some sort of homing instinct but if you move them over 20 metres away it can be overcome.

Can't be arsed to Google it, quite frankly for cider based reasons, but I think it's more like three miles than 20 metres.

[TrueBlueTerrier]

Pretty sure I read/watched something a few years ago where they said snails had some sort of homing instinct but if you move them over 20 metres away it can be overcome.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/features/so ... s/results/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

RESULTS
Results table 1.
Key: H,A = number of home and away snails; m = distance between bases; Fisher's test gives probability of getting our results by chance alone. Small p-values confirm homing instinct.



Findings in this experiment were complicated by a spell of exceptionally dry weather, during which many snails disappeared - presumably in shade and sealed up in their epiphragms. But in those instances where snails were recovered over short distances (up to 10 metres), there was again strong evidence of homing instinct. Over longer distances, particularly over 30 metres, results were inconclusive. This could have been due to the many variables: terrain, e.g. a wood; the type of barrier: e.g. road, building; the hot weather; or the actual distance itself.

CONCLUSIONS
From the evidence so far, it seems clear that Helix aspersa has a homing instinct, and can 'home' to distances up to 10 metres. Over 10 metres, conclusions are difficult due to the variables mentioned above.

But implications for frustrated gardeners, who want to know exactly how far away they can dump their garden snails, are that, on the evidence so far, it would be safe to take and place them elsewhere at a distance of, say, 100 to 200 metres. Therefore, there is no need to kill them. The implications of not using pesticides are: healthier microbacteria in the soil, and less danger of poisoning to pets and birds. And the feel-good factor for humans!

For distances over 30 metres, I would like to devise further experiments in more controlled conditions, working with only one variable at a time. Although not replicating natural conditions, it would hopefully move us forward in our quest to find out exactly how far we must take our snails before they home back to chomp on our precious lettuces. It would also provide valuable information on snails' behaviour such as adaptation to disturbance, and to different conditions. And also how snails remember their journeys!

[maninred]

Speak to your manager. They can log a job with the Property & Facilities Help Desk. They put some sort of sealant in the box that repels the snails and slugs. Only seems to last for a year or so though.