[NatureNS] Seeking ID / Info on Huge Slug

From: "Wild Flora" <herself@wildflora.com>
To: <naturens@chebucto.ns.ca>
References: <278511.95302.qm@web50606.mail.re2.yahoo.com> <f06230901c49db6728e04@[24.137.125.236]>
Date: Sat, 12 Jul 2008 11:21:40 -0300
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An 8-9 inch slug with spots certainly does sound like a banana slug, but as
someone who has spent a good deal of time observing this particular slug in
its native habitat, I'd be astonished to discover that they are being found
in gardens in Nova Scotia. 

The banana slug (Ariolimax columbianus, A. dolichophallus, or A.
californicus) is native to North America, specifically to the Pacific
Northwest, including British Columbia. (In other words, banana slugs are as
Canadian as hockey pucks.) They are generally believed to be found almost
exclusively in forested habitats in the PNW; I can't locate any reference to
them being found outside of the PNW.

Banana slugs are forest floor creatures that live off decomposing
vegetation, are an important part of the PNW native ecosystem, are rarely
seen in gardens (even in the Pacific Northwest), and are not garden pests.

The slugs ordinarily seen in gardens in North America are the non-natives,
which indeed are believed to have arrived in North America on produce
imported from Europe and Asia. One of these, Limax maximus (the Great Gray
Garden Slug aka Leopard Slug) has spots and can be quite long when stretched
out thin. For a picture of L. maximus, see
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slug. An interesting bit of trivia about this
slug is that it is cannibalistic.

Wild Flora



-----Original Message-----
From: naturens-owner@chebucto.ns.ca [mailto:naturens-owner@chebucto.ns.ca]
On Behalf Of Angela Joudrey
Sent: Friday, July 11, 2008 10:21 PM
To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca
Subject: Re: [NatureNS] Seeking ID / Info on Huge Slug

Hi there,

Without seeing a picture, it sounds like similiar slugs my mother in 
law found in her garden, starting about 5 years ago. ( Although it 
might not be, it gives you a starting point? )  She lives in Lower 
Sackville.

She took it to Atlantic Gardens and they thought it was a "banana 
slug". They travelled into Canada through produce that was most 
likely sold through Sobey's and Superstore.

If this one of those slugs, I'm not sure how it travelled to Brier 
Island! Did it swim, or take the ferry?

Angela in Windsor.




>Last evening I came upon what I first thought was a small snake but 
>upon nearing it I realized it was a slug. The lengthy creature was 
>slowly moving towards some grass at the edge of the pavement on 
>Second Street on Brier Island. It was 8 or 9 inches long and full of 
>brownish coloured spots / pattern similar to marks one may associate 
>with a snake. It's antennae were out. I'd never seen such a slug 
>before, nor had the people with me. I did take a picture, which I 
>can provide if requested.
>
>
>
>Laura Titus
>
>Westport, Brier Island

-- 

Angela Joudrey
aljoudrey@eastlink.ca

Life's too short to dance with ugly men.


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