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Leopard Slug

Limax maximus

Description:

"In general, leopard slugs are active at night, though they may also be seen in daytime during wet, warm and overcast weather. Usually they sleep under stones, rubble, deadwood, such as tree trunks and shelves, as well as in dark wall crevices. To feed they come out, and then can be found on mushrooms, withered plants and on algae growing on trees and stones. Partially Limax maximus is a carnivore, that also feeds on carrion, but also on other slugs and their eggs. Leopard slugs have even been observed to lead to a decrease of harmful slug species. So even if Limax maximus sometimes feeds on garden plants, it should not be called a garden pest, which it can only be in great numbers of overpopulation." Leopard slug (Limax maximus). [RN] On the contrary, in the meantime it has been proved that the leopard slug indeed does regulate the populations of the Spanish slugs (Arion vulgaris) by feeding on slugs and their eggs alike. That also means that Limax maximus indeed is not only not a harmful species but rather a beneficial one that should be protected in garden areas.

Habitat:

Although native to Europe, this species has been accidentally introduced to many other parts of the world. I have not found it listed as an invasive species, which may be due to the fact that it other slugs that do appear on invasive species lists.

Notes:

Spotted on playground equipment in a residential area of Kennesaw, GA

1 Species ID Suggestions

Changeable Mantleslug
Megapallifera mutabilis Changeable Mantleslug (Megapallifera mutabilis) · iNaturalist.org


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2 Comments

ForestDragon
ForestDragon 6 years ago

This actually appears to be a native species of slug. :-) Leopard Slugs have a clearly defined mantle area, whereas mantleslugs have a mantle that covers the whole body (nice and smooth with no raised areas behind the head).

Hema  Shah
Hema Shah 9 years ago

QW ,any idea what this is ?it was larger than most of the other slugs I have seen here.
http://www.projectnoah.org/spottings/421...

QWMom
Spotted by
QWMom

Kennesaw, Georgia, USA

Spotted on Apr 19, 2014
Submitted on Jun 29, 2014

Spotted for Mission

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