The Slug
Slug is a squishy critter you've probably seen slithering around your garden! These soft-bodied molluscs, or gastropods, have no shell unlike their cousins, the snails. They come in all sorts of colors - yellow, gray, black and even translucent white. Variety being the spice in their life, slugs have between 30,000 to 90,000 teeth, situated on a ribbon-like tongue called a radula. Their size can range anywhere from 0.25 inches to almost 10 inches, depending on the species.
| Slug | |
|---|---|
| Size | Up to 10 inches (25.4 cm) in length, depending on species |
| Weight | Up to 0.88 ounces (25 grams), depending on species |
| Speed | 0.03mph (0.048km/h) |
| Key Strength | Ability to regenerate lost body parts |
| Biggest Weakness | Slow movement and lack of protective shell |
| Scientific Name | Gastropoda |
| Family | Gastropod |
| Habitat | Damp environments, often in forests, gardens, and other vegetated areas |
| Geography | Worldwide, except for extreme cold regions |
| Diet | Leaves, fungus, decaying plant material, and other slugs |
| Lifespan | 1 year - 9 years |
The Slug
Slug is a squishy critter you've probably seen slithering around your garden! These soft-bodied molluscs, or gastropods, have no shell unlike their cousins, the snails. They come in all sorts of colors - yellow, gray, black and even translucent white. Variety being the spice in their life, slugs have between 30,000 to 90,000 teeth, situated on a ribbon-like tongue called a radula. Their size can range anywhere from 0.25 inches to almost 10 inches, depending on the species.
Fun Fact: Here's a slimy secret! When a slug moves, it creates a layer of mucus that acts like a slippery mat for it to glide along.
| Slug | |
|---|---|
| Size | Up to 10 inches (25.4 cm) in length, depending on species |
| Weight | Up to 0.88 ounces (25 grams), depending on species |
| Speed | 0.03mph (0.048km/h) |
| Key Strength | Ability to regenerate lost body parts |
| Biggest Weakness | Slow movement and lack of protective shell |
| Scientific Name | Gastropoda |
| Family | Gastropod |
| Habitat | Damp environments, often in forests, gardens, and other vegetated areas |
| Geography | Worldwide, except for extreme cold regions |
| Diet | Leaves, fungus, decaying plant material, and other slugs |
| Lifespan | 1 year - 9 years |
Fun Fact: Did you know that a slug holds the power nap record in the animal kingdom? They can sleep for up to three years to avoid unfavorable weather!
Fun Fact: Got salt? A fun yet cruel experiment is throwing salt on a slug, but note that this actually dehydrates and kills them, so it's not very kind!