GB2513911A

GB2513911A - Improvements relating to slug control

Info

Publication number: GB2513911A
Application number: GB1308449.6A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Edward J L Head
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2013-05-10
Filing date: 2013-05-10
Publication date: 2014-11-12
Anticipated expiration: 2033-05-10
Also published as: GB201308449D0; GB2513911B

Abstract

A slug barrier comprises a support 12 for installation at a boundary of a controlled zone; and an array of spikes 24, 26, 28 extending from the support, the array comprising spikes of at least first and second differing lengths arranged such that spikes of the first length are interposed between spikes of the second length. The barrier may include a plurality of rows of spikes for intersecting a slug path in use and a row comprising spikes of the first length is interposed between rows comprising spikes of the second length. The rows may be offset relative to neighbouring rows. The rows of spikes may comprise rows of a third length alternating with spikes of the first or second length, the spikes of the third row being difference from the first and second lengths.

Description

Improvements relating to slug control

Field of the invention

This invention relates to restricting the movement of slugs, snails and other gastropods, hereinafter referred to collectively as "slugs". In particular, though S not exclusively, the invention relates to a slug barrier for installation at a boundary of a controlled zone, such as, for example, a garden, a plant bed, a plant pot, or indeed any plant growing or food storage zone.

Background to the invention

Slugs are the number one garden plant pest problem. They particularly attack young plants, including vegetables. Therefore, it is imperative for gardeners to control slugs and many techniques are already employed in an attempt to do so.

For example, gardeners often encourage natural predators of slugs such as hedgehogs, birds and toads into their garden. Furthermore, a variety of biological and chemical control substances are available, along with traps and barriers.

Alas, slugs are persistent. One particular problem gardeners face is that there tends to be a trade-off between the effectiveness of control methods and their toxicity. Effective control methods, such as chemicals, can harm animals or may make vegetables unsuitable or unpalatable for ingestion, whereas conventional non-toxic measures such as barriers or traps are often ineffective. Further limiting factors are the cost of control measures and the amount of manual labour required to implement them. Finally though rriost gardeners have no qualms about killing slugs, non-lethal control methods are preferred by some.

The gardening industry has sought for many years to address the above problems. EPI2O1 11 5A1, for example, discloses a snail fence having a base for insertion into soil and bearing three rows of spikes.

However, there remains a need for effective, non-toxic and low cost solutions for controlling slugs.

Statements of the invention

According to a first aspect of the piesent invention there is piovided a slug barrier comprising: a support for installation at a boundary of a controlled zone; and an allay of spikes extending from the support, the arlay comprising spikes of at least first and second differing lengths arranged such that spikes of the first length are interposed between spikes of the second length.

By virtue of its interposed spikes of valying length the array has an undulating profile, making it particularly difficult for slugs to traverse. In particular, undulation means that the weight of traversing slugs tends to be distributed amongst fewer spikes, which in turn makes the spikes a less suitable crawling surface.

The array of spikes may be regular as this facilitates manufacture and delivers predictable barriei properties. In one embodiment, the airay includes a plurality of rows of spikes for intersecting a slug path in use, with a row comprising spikes of the first length being interposed between rows comprising spikes of the second length.

In one embodiment, spikes in the interposed low of spikes may be offset ielative to spikes in one or more neighbouring rows. Indeed, spikes in each row of spikes may be offset relative to spikes in any neighbouring rows of spikes, or even in all other rows of the array. Advantageously, the spikes may be arranged such that there is no straight path through the array in at least one direction.

It can be advantageous to create an offset between spikes of identical length even when they aie not in adjacent rows. Foi example, in one embodiment, spikes of the second length in a first row are offset from spikes of the second length in a second row.

The array may be of any desired size. In one embodiment, the array includes at least two rows comprising spikes of the first length but not of the second length and at least two lows comprising spikes of the second length but not of the fiist length.

The spacing of the rows may be adjusted consistent with the size of the slugs whose movement is to be restricted. In one embodiment, rows comprising spikes of the same first or second length are separated from one another by at least 1cm as measured between central axes of their spikes.

To allow for greater spacing of spikes, which may be of benefit in discouraging crawling over the array, without opening passages through the array for smaller slugs, one or more of the rows of spikes may comprise spikes of a third length alternating with spikes of the first length or second length, the third length being different from the first and second lengths. In one embodiment, the spikes of the third length alternate with said other spikes of the first length or second length such that there is a distance of at least 0.5 cm between said other spikes in their row. In a particular embodiment, each row of spikes in the array may comprise spikes of the third length alternating with spikes of the first length or second length. Advantageously, the third length may be shorter than both the first length and the second length.

The effectiveness of the barrier is determined to an extent by the length of it that intersects with a slug path. In an embodiment, the array may define a minimum slug path intersection of at least 2 cm.

Conveniently, the spikes may extend substantially orthogonally from the support.

The spikes comprise a tip, which may for example be a conical tip or a flat blade tip.

The support may comprise a panel or band, with the array extending between boundaries of the panel or band. The panel or band may, for instance comprise shorter lateral boundaries, with the array extending between the lateral boundaries.

The barrier may be formed of any suitable material. In an embodiment, the barrier comprises a moulded plastics material. Advantageously, the plastics material may be flexible, i.e. possess a degree of flexibility to facilitate installation of the barrier, for example at a curved boundary.

The barrier may be formed using known techniques. In one embodiment, the support and spikes are integrally formed by injection moulding. Alternatively, the support may be formed as an extruded panel comprising a plurality of holes for receiving the spikes.

Conveniently, the support may comprise fastening means for installation of the barrier. In one embodiment, the fastening means comprise an anchor section for insertion into the ground, which has the additional advantage of restricting underground movement of pests. The anchor section may, for example, be a panel with a tapered end for insertion into the ground.

The fastening means may additionally or alternatively comprise one or more clips for attaching the barrier to a supporting structure and/or to a neighbouring barrier.

The invention also embraces, from a second aspect, a slug barrier kit comprising a plurality of modular slug barriers as described anywhere herein. Such a kit may include instructions for use of the barriers to restrict the movement of slugs.

From a third aspect, the invention resides in a method of restricting the movement of slugs, the method comprising installing at a boundary of a controlled zone a slug barrier as described anywhere herein.

Throughout the description and claims of this specification, the words "comprise" and "contain" and variations of the words, for example "comprising" and "comprises", mean "including but not limited to", and do not exclude other moieties, additives, components, integers or steps. Moreover the singular encompasses the plural unless the context otherwise requires: in particular, where the indefinite article is used, the specification is to be understood as contemplating plurality as well as singularity, unless the context requires otherwise.

Preferred features of each aspect of the invention may be as described in connection with any of the other aspects. Generally speaking the invention extends to any novel one, or any novel combination, of the features disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims and drawings). Thus features, integers, or characteristics described in conjunction with a particular aspect, embodiment or example of the invention are to be understood to be applicable to any other aspect, embodiment or example described herein unless incompatible therewith. Moreover unless stated otherwise, any feature disclosed herein may be replaced by an alternative feature serving the same or a similar purpose.

Detailed descrirjtion In order that the invention may be more readily understood, an embodiment will now be described by way of example, with reference to the accompanying illustrative drawings, of which: Figure 1 is a front elevation view of a slug barrier according to a first embodiment of the invention; Figure 1A is a magnified view of area A' in Figure 1; Figure 2 is a top view of the slug barrier of Figure 1; and Figure 3 is a side view of the slug barrier of Figure 1.

Referring to Figures ito 3, in a first embodiment of the invention a slug barrier 2 comprises a support 4 and an array of spikes 6 extending from the support 4.

The barrier 2 is formed integrally by injection moulded polypropylene having a degree of flexibility to aid installation as will be described.

With reference to Figure 1, the support 4 comprises a panel having a base section 8 from which the spikes 6 extend orthogonally frontwards. The base section 8 is generally oblong in front elevation. At lateral boundaries the base section 8 comprises first and second complementary pairs of clips 10 acting as fastening means for joining adjacent slug barriers to form a continuous fence (not shown).

To facilitate installation of the base section 8 and spikes 6 in a bed or the like, and to provide an additional barrier against underground pests, the support 4 further comprises an anchor section 12 for insertion into the ground (not shown).

The anchor section 12 is integral with the base section 8 and tapers to a

D

narrower end 14 for insertion. Referring now to Figure 3, the anchor section 12 is also thinner than the base section 8 to facilitate its insertion into the ground.

Referring again to Figure 1, the base section 8 bears the array of spikes 6, which are integrally formed therewith. As is best visible in the enlarged view of Figure 1A, the spikes 6 are arranged in an upper row 16, an upper middle row 18, a lower middle row 20 and a lower row 22. There are three types of spikes 6: long spikes 24 with a flat blade tip aligned vertically; medium spikes 26 with a flat blade tip aligned horizontally; and short spikes 28 with a conical tip. The upper row 16 and lower middle row 20 each comprise long spikes 24 (about 1 cm in length) alternating with short spikes 28 (about 0.25 cm in length), whereas the upper middle row 18 and lower row 22 each comprise medium spikes 26 (about 0.5 cm in length) alternating with short spikes 28. The short spikes 28 are thus interposed between the long spikes 24 and medium spikes 26 in each row and there is a distance of about 0.75 cm between adjacent long or medium spikes in each row, measured between central axes of the spikes.

The rows 16, 18, 20, 22 are parallel and equispaced with the distance between adjacent rows, measured between central axes of their spikes, being about 0.64 cm. The rows extend horizontally between the lateral boundaries of the panel, allowing convenient positioning to intersect a slug path in use. In particular, the barrier 2 is designed to restrict the movement of slugs between a lower end 30 and an upper end 32 of the barrier 2.

To prevent slugs even of relatively small size from moving through the array of spikes 6, the spikes 24, 26,28 in the rows 16, 18, 20, 22 are laterally offset and spaced such that, there is no straight path from the lower end 30 to the upper end 32 of the support 4 along the surface of the base section 8. To enhance tortuosity, spikes 24, 26, 28 in any one row are not only offset with respect to their neighbouring row or rows, but with respect to spikes in all four rows 16, 18, 20, 22.

Additionally, the particular arrangement of the spikes 24, 26, 28 in the interposed rows 16, 18, 20, 22 discourages slugs even of a relatively large size from moving over the array of spikes 6. As will be apparent from the above description, the upper row 16 and lower middle row 20, comprising long spikes 24 but no medium spikes 26, are interposed with the upper middle row 18 and the lower row 22, comprising medium spikes 26 but no long spikes 24. As is best appreciated in the view of Figure 3, this leads to an undulating array of spikes 6, which is more difficult to traverse for slugs than a flat array. With reference to S Figure 2, the difficulty is further enhanced by the long spikes 24 of the upper row 16 being offset from the long spikes 24 of the lower middle row 20 and the medium spikes 26 of the upper middle row 18 being offset from the medium spikes 26 of the lower row. The incorporation of the small spikes 28 also contributes to difficulty by enabling greater spacing between neighbouring large spikes 24 and neighbouring medium spikes whilst retaining the requisite tortuosity in the array.

In general, by virtue of its interposed spikes 24, 26, 28 of varying length, the array of spikes 6 is simultaneously finely spaced enough to restrict movement through the array 6 and yet undulating enough to restrict movement over the array 6. Additionally, if inserted, the anchor section 12 can restrict movement underground. This makes the barrier 2 highly effective in restricting the movement of slugs.

The barrier 2 may be installed in any desired manner at the border of any zone into which movement of slugs is to be restricted. Where convenient, the anchor section 12 can be inserted into the ground, but the barrier can of course also be supported in other ways, e.g. by clipping, tying or gluing it to a structure such as a pot, pole, border, band or rope. The clips 10 of the barrier 2 allow it to be used as a module for creating a slug fence, e.g. to surround an area or zone entirely.

As will be apparent to those skilled in the art, numerous modifications may be made to the barrier according to the first embodiment without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims. For instance, the material or manufacturing method of the barrier may be varied. In one alternative embodiment the support is formed from an extruded plastics panel having holes for receiving the spikes. The spikes are formed separately and then anchored in the holes. In another alternative embodiment, the barrier is formed from metal, with the spikes being punched out of a web that forms the support.

The arrangement and form of the spikes in the array may also be varied, for example to tailor for particular sizes of slugs. For instance, where larger slugs are the main concern, a greater spacing of spikes may be desirable, whereas the size of the spikes might be reduced where only smaller slugs are to be restricted.

S The slug barrier may also be used in water, e.g. to restrict sea slugs or freshwater slugs.

Claims

Claims 1. A slug barrier comprising: a support for installation at a boundary of a controlled zone; and an array of spikes extending from the support, the array comprising spikes of at least first and second differing lengths S arranged such that spikes of the first length are interposed between spikes of the second length.
2. The barrier of claim 1, wherein the array includes a plurality of rows of spikes for intersecting a slug path in use, and a row comprising spikes of the first length is interposed between rows comprising spikes of the second length.
3. The barrier of claim 2, wherein spikes in the interposed row of spikes are offset relative to spikes in one or more neighbouring rows.
4. The barrier of claim 2 or claim 3 wherein spikes in each row of spikes are offset relative to spikes in any neighbouring rows of spikes
5. The barrier of any one of claims 2 to 4, wherein spikes in each row are offset relative to spikes in all other rows of the array.
6. The barrier of any one of claims 2 to 5, wherein spikes of the second length in a first row are offset from spikes of the second length in a second row.
7. The barrier of any one of claims 2 to 6 wherein the array includes at least two rows comprising spikes of the first length but not of the second length and at least two rows comprising spikes of the second length but not of the first length.
8. The barrier of any one of claims 2 to 7, wherein rows comprising spikes of the same first or second length are separated from one another by at least 1cm as measured between central axes of their spikes.
9. The barrier of any one of claims 2 to 8 wherein one or more of said rows of spikes comprises spikes of a third length alternating with spikes of the first length or second length, the third length being different from the first and second lengths.
10. The barrier of claim 9 wherein the spikes of the third length alternate with said other spikes of the first length or second length such that there is a distance of at least 0.5 cm between said other spikes in their row.
11. The barrier of claim 9 or claim 10 wherein each row of spikes in the array comprises spikes of the third length alternating with spikes of the first length or second length.
12. The barrier of any one of claims 9 to 11 wherein the third length is shorter than both the first length and the second length.
13. The barrier of any preceding claim, wherein the array defines a minimum slug path intersection of at least 2 cm.
14. The barrier of any preceding claim, wherein the spikes extend orthogonally from the support.
15. The barrier of any preceding claim wherein the spikes comprise a conical tip or a flat blade tip.
16. The barrier of any preceding claim, wherein the support comprises a panel and the array extends between boundaries of the panel.
17. The barrier of any preceding claim comprising a moulded plastics material.
18. The barrier of claim 17 wherein the plastics material is flexible.
19. The barrier of any preceding claim wherein the support and spikes are integrally formed by injection moulding.
20. The barrier of any one of claims 1 to 18 wherein the support is an extruded panel comprising a plurality of holes for receiving the spikes.
21. The barrier of any preceding claim, wherein the support comprises fastening means for installation.
22. The barrier of claim 21, wherein the fastening means comprise an anchor section for insertion into the ground.
23. The barrier of claim 22 wherein the anchor section is a panel with a tapered end for insertion into the ground.
24. The barrier of any one of claims 21 to 23 wherein the fastening means comprise one or more clips for attaching the barrier to a supporting structure.
25. The barrier of any one of claims 21 to 24 wherein the fastening means comprise one or more clips for attaching the barrier to a neighbouring barrier according to any preceding claim.
26. A slug barrier kit comprising a plurality of modular slug barriers according to claim 25.
27. A method of restricting the movement of slugs, the method comprising installing at a boundary of a controlled zone a slug barrier according to any one of claims ito 25.
28. A slug barrier substantially as herein described, with reference to the Figures.