Slugs have taken over my garden for the first time, ever. All sizes. All colors. They've turned the zinnias to skeletons. Ditto the eggplants. And now they have gone to work on the cucumbers and
marigolds. I bought a special flashlight to go slug-hunting at night. They creep out after dusk and
I found dozens and sent them swiftly to the beyond.
However, I did notice that while I was in a frenzy, they were not. The slug "vibe" is very peaceful,
almost sweet. This prompted me to learn about them. And they are remarkable. They can stretch, if need be, 20 times their normal length. When one set of teeth wear out, another set appears from
behind and sets to work. They are hermaphrodites. Made mostly of water, they thrive in wet, cool weather. (Hence, the appearance of tens of thousands of them in my garden.) Sometimes they swing from thin strings of slime while have slug sex. I'm not so jazzed about the slime but do love the concept of joining in midair while being buoyed about by wind. . .
Long and short of it -- I am leaving them alone now. It's just as much their yard as mine. More theirs. Slug love. It's a good thing.
Okaaaaay ... I still don't like slugs. I'm told the ones around here were used by Native Americans in medicine because if you put your tongue on them, your tongue goes numb. I, however, will not volunteer to test out that story.
ReplyDeleteOh, dear, you are so funny! There is a slug who comes into our house at night. I have NO idea where he comes from, but his shiny trails prove his existence. I have sprinkled the floors with salt.....
ReplyDeleteAs for not killing slugs--I never ever kill the forest variety, which are greenish with black verigated spots. They're good for the forest. But I DO get rid of the banana slugs, which are a light green color. They are the ones who are bad for the environment.
I rather like slugs in general. Did you know if you pet one with a piece of grass it will stretch, and stick it's eyeballs out?