The slug pictured above is the largest
member of the Round-Backed type of slug. The round backed
slugs have no keel, although they often bear numerous rows of elongated
tubercles. The breathing pore is near the front of the right hand edge
of the mantle (see picture below).
This slug is found in gardens,
hedgerows, verges and many other places and it feeds on almost anything.
It does not do much damage to the garden, however. The mucus secreted
by this species is very thick and strong and it is quite difficult to
pull the slug away from its position. It is even more difficult to remove
the mucus from one's hand afterwards. This particular species has immense
powers of contraction, and it will condense itself into a hemisphere
when picked up: what is more, the hemisphere will then start to sway
about, looking like an animated prune (see below).
The rich chestnut coloured
slugs (see picture below) one finds in the garden or on the verges differ
only very slightly from the Large Black and the two are regarded as
varieties of the same species.
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Casual Intruders page