Tuesday 26 June 2012

A Leopard Slug





I found this large and beautifully patterned Leopard Slug yesterday. It was out on a Forest green. Although well camouflaged, the shine of its thick slime trail brought it to my attention, so it has probably become a meal for a passing bird by now.

We rarely see Leopard slugs here. The ones that do most damage in the garden are much smaller but can decimate a lettuce plant overnight!

There is some interesting information about the Leopard Slug, Limax maximus, on Wikipedia. Apparently they are not gregarious, they have a strong homing instinct and they mate hanging upside down from a branch........

9 comments:

Kath said...

Ah, I had wondered what they were called. I came across one some 10 years ago, on the forest floor of a small conifer plantation.
I called me fellow dog walkers over to marvel at how huge it was, whereupon her dopey Dalmation galloped over and squashed it flat with his big paw!
It was a beauty.

Ragged Robin said...

I love the markings on the Leopard Slug and the wonderful camouflage.

rachel said...

Rather splendid, isn't it! Slugs are fascinating, once you get past the fear and loathing stage....

The Weaver of Grass said...

Not sure I wish to know that DW - Yuk! But, yes, grudgingly, they do have beautiful patterning.

Anonymous said...

Definitely good looking but not good in a good way...

David Attenborough's team managed to film the mating process of them, I'm sure it can be Googled...

angryparsnip said...

What beautiful marking but........ it is a slug !
Living as I do in the desert we have slugs but pack rats who will destroy a plant, lots of cactus too in an evening.

cheers, parsnip

Em Parkinson said...

I'm glad I'm not the only one interested in slugs! Very nice one and I will be visiting Wikipedia...

WOL said...

We're not having too much trouble with slug/snails here at present, seeing as how at 4 pm this afternoon it was 104F/40C with 12% humidity. . . . oh, and we have grackles. . .

Aunt Jane's Attic said...

Lovely slug, we have a hughe amout of slowworms at present. Julie xxx