EXPERT TIPS… SLUGS

I realise that for many readers, any plea from a horticulturist on behalf of slugs is a rather strange thing. Indeed, for those with plants already damaged; a common sight in gardens, but one that also frequently resides in old, damp cellars and outhouses. The species is one of the larger slugs found in the UK, often reaching 16cm long when fully grown. It is distinctively patterned, with a mottled brown or grey body, with brown or black spots/blotches. Unlike many of the more damaging slug species, it is very long lived, often surviving for several years in favourable conditions. When hunting, it is - for a slug - a quick mover, known to achieve a top speed of 15 centimetres per minute in pursuit of its quarry. It is most active, and hunts, at night, although you are more likely to see one when it is feeding on decaying plant matter or carrion.