Slugs are slim, soft bodied animals that are seen almost everywhere in the world and are sometimes considered serious pest for vegetable fields. They can grow up to a size of four inches and are brownish yellow in color. Some of them are designed with dark spots as well.

All types of the slug leave a trail of its tail whenever they move. It is known as slime. These trail marks are visible on foundation walls, basement floors, pavements or roads and even half eaten leaves of plants.

Here are some more amazing facts about the slugs.

• Slugs prefer to stay in moist and dark areas therefore they are mainly seen in damp places like logs, stones, under boards, mulch, decomposing animals, crevices and below decks. Even flower pots in houses shelter slugs.

• Slugs are nocturnal and generally feed at night. They tend to hide in daylight from the fear of drying up in under the heat from the sun. They feed on different kinds of plantation leaves mostly on the ones that grow near the ground. They even turn to molds and decaying organic animals for nutrition.

• Slugs are invertebrates. Not only do they not have a backbone but they also don’t have bones at all. They do not have tongue or teeth either. Instead they are provided with a special organ known as the radula, which has several small protrusions which help them to grind and crush their food.

• Slugs lay their eggs away from sun such as under leaves or on wet surface of the soil. The eggs may take several years to hatch. They can even survive through any condition until it is the right time for them to hatch.

• A large part of the slug’s body is a huge muscle which acts as the locomotive organ or foot. This series of muscles contracts and elongates accordingly when a slug moves forward. The slug moves along in a wave like motion, from back to front.

• A slug is provided with both the male and female sexual organs. Therefore they can reproduce even without mating. This makes the slug a hermaphrodite. They have the capability to fertilize their own eggs. Female slugs sometimes may sometimes live up to 6 years.

• The banana is the biggest known slug of the United States. It can grow up to a length of one foot. It has vibrant yellow color with no shell. It is mostly seen in the redwood forest grounds.

• Grey spotted slugs are found in Wisconsin which is commonly known as garden slugs. They affect the fruit, leaves and plants a great deal. They can also be responsible for damaging ripe tomatoes.

• Slugs can be located in a large number of regions where plant residues are buried in the previous season of production. They are mostly active in the early spring days and stay in damp and cold places.

• In dry seasons slugs are nowhere to be seen. However, in damp weather or during the rainy season, population of slugs increases rapidly. During winters, slugs are mostly seen as eggs or in full grown form and they can live even beyond a year.

Slugs have the potential to inhale oxygen directly from the atmosphere apart from respiratory pore breathing. Their health is very sensitive.