Yesterday I saw a late season slug cross my path on a sidewalk and then onto a manhole cover. I raced to get a camera to get a good closeup because I am a lover of nature and science, even the slimy kind.
This appears to be a dehydrated leopard slug (also called a
Great Grey Slug,
Limax maximus). It looks much thinner than
this picture of a slug in Maryland on wikipedia. I would imagine that since it is getting to be winter, that they won't look as nice and juicy as in the middle of summer or after a rain. Perhaps a certain
Ranger with more expertise on wildlife than I can offer an opinion about dehydrated slugs. I believe these slugs are an introduction from Europe so he should be familiar with them. A closeup view of the slug next to a ruler (click for large view) really shows its spots and stripes and the intricate wrinkles on its mantle.
He/she (they are hermaphrodites) moved into the mulched area, hopefully to survive the winter. I won't hold a grudge against them, though the slugs in my garden love to chew plants down to the nub. We use
slug bait pellets with iron phosphate to protect our plants. Since iron phosphate naturally occurs in the soil it is safe, the slugs eat and it and they crawl away to die. I guess garden plants > slugs in my book.
Halfway up the pot.
This closeup also shows the slime trail, The ridges on the pot are nine to the inch so the length of this slug is about 3.2 inches not taking into account its curved posture (I guess it is not that big).
