Eeek. What is this pest?

[Bestoftimesworstoftimes]

We took advantage of the good weather this evening to eat out of door and a certain underage person was rather frivolous with their supper. Came back to the garden to clear it up after bath/bed (and ooo forgetting about it for a bit so letsay a few hours) and saw these. Looked a bit like mushrooms which to my knowledge are not carb consumers but gently prodding with a fork didn't show any stalk (that rhymes). What in heck are they?? Never has the phrase common garden slug struck such fear in my heart. I wouldn't mind confirmation from some knowledgable gardener. (Friendly horror enthusiasts this is a polite request to please stay away)

They're slugs.

Slugs!

In the time it took me to write my first post a few moved off and others came. Clearly mobile and alive! What do they want with spaghetti?!

Slugs will try to eat anything. One came into the house and got in a cat food dish in my kitchen.

I am so revolted. Has brought back bad memory of a few summers ago when I found one under the couch that looked like a piece of moulding banana until it rolled over and curled up independently. Can't bear to think one of the children might put it in their mouth (then or now). Ew. Gag. Bleugh.
How to get rid? Google advises beer/milk but I'm worried any traps might attract more... anyone got experience?

*molding banana

You won't ever get rid of them there are millions everywhere!

Leave them be? Seems rude to pull them away from their pasta supper. Surely once they've cleaned up your lawn, they'll slither off back to where they came from.

Just leave them. They'll go when finished.

Why kill them?

I don't want to depopulate the world of slugs. I realise they must have some ecological value and be vital in some food chain (possible if not probable). I just want to be confident my garden is safe as it usually is for the little ones to explore in the morning.

They are a fact of life, like worms and should just be allowed to exist. They'll move on when there's nothing left to eat, and prob come back out next time it rains...

Your first spelling of mould was correct btw, mold is the American spelling

Slugs are probably quite nutritious, I think HFW fried some up on river cottage one time.

I don't think there's any danger to your DC... Although I do remember reading about a mumsnetter who found half a slug on her toddler's lip posted on a 'what's the grossest thing your DC has ever eaten thread' . I believe said toddler lived on as she posted in a jokey manner...

Have you seriously not seen slugs in the garden before?

Are you being unreasonable?
To not know what a slug is? Yes.
To have posted this in AIBU and not 'gardening' - er, Yes
To not want your Dc's to eat them? No, but they will try, given half a chance!

I hae them too. I remember being a student in a nasty damp house and finding them all over the nasty damp floor in the morning. Yuck.

As for eating them, I imagine that they'd be like snails if you fried them in garlic butter, but it doesn't really appeal to me....

I've had to stop putting my cat's food in the utility room because the bowls would fill up with slugs every night. Now I feed her in the kitchen, where we have to cope with the smell but at least my stomach isn't turned over on a nightly basis.

They are not pleasant or charming, but harmless I think? IME they pretty much decide where they're going to hang out and it's not going to be easy to keep them out of your garden.

One of my minded toddlers once brought me one - didn't realise what it was until she'd dropped it into my hand

I think I did very well not to scream the house down

I don't mind slugs. Really. Out in their natural habitat, in regular numbers they are perfectly acceptable as part of life/environment. Just don't want them 'raw' in the mouths of my precious progeny. Even thinking about it brings up the bile and makes me grimace.
Oh and I didn't recognise them without their distinctive horns. Do they only take them out sometimes or were they were in disguise?

One got into our kettle once. I discovered it after dh had made the morning cup of tea

Salt!

Not salt, that's really cruel.

Don't kill them, slugs are cute and fascinating for toddlers. Good chance for them to see them if you have lots.

My daughter goes out every morning with a dessert spoon, scoops up slugs, shows me them and then takes them for a walk in her wagon... Don't think she has eaten any though...