Slugs

Slugs are simply snails (mollusks) without shells. These slimy creatures live in and on the ground and have big appetites for a wide variety of plants found around the home. Young seedling plants are eaten as well as mature plants. They frequently cause damage to glasshouse (greenhouse) and garden plants, and may be especially injurious in mushroom houses. Occasionally, they may congregate in large numbers in basements, on walls, doorways, and along walkways, making these areas unsightly. Slugs may be found when the ground thaws in the spring until it freezes in the fall. Wet conditions are ideal for slug development. the best description of a slug is that it is a snail without a shell. They vary in size depending upon the species and measure from 1/4 to seven inches long. They secrete a characteristic slime (mucus) which they leave behind as they move around. These slime trails are silvery in appearance upon drying and is a common diagnostic character used to identify the presence of slugs. The color of slugs also varies with species, ranging from a dark black-brown to an orange color. When an actual slug is found their soft slimy bodies and extensible eye stalks give the creature its characteristic appearance.