Slugs get a bad rap! While some can be problematic, some are actually quite useful.
Leopard slug. (Courtesy Kennedy Harris.)
Today, we’re talking about slugs. I know, I know, eeeeewwww! Gross! They’re slimy and slithery and some snack on our strawberries and spinach, but others are unfairly maligned. They can be pretty beneficial creatures.
Slugs are basically snails without shells. They're related to clams, mussels and other shellfish. These naked snails can squeeze into tight spots and to live in areas, such as bogs and conifer forests, where acidic conditions would dissolve a shell.
Most of our native slug species are not considered garden pests. Most stay in the woods feeding on decaying plant material and fungi. And many of the slugs seen in or around your garden are not after your lettuce; they’re actually after the fungus or algae growing on the lettuce. And the ones you see in your compost bin are probably helping you out, too. Try to think of native slugs as important miniature composters. They recycle organic matter helping to build soils.
Blame the colonists for bringing the worst troublemakers over from Europe—accidentally, of course. One species, the spotted leopard slug, is huge—up to six inches long—and can mow down a tray of seedlings overnight. Believe me; you’ll know it when you see it.
Just be careful about using slug-bait and pesticides. You might be killing your friendly neighborhood slugs and other beneficial critters like spiders. Try to catch the harmful individuals in the act of nibbling on your spinach and eliminate them.
