Slug

Scientific Name: Gastropoda (Order: Stylommatophora)

Order & Family: Order Stylommatophora (Family varies, e.g., Limacidae, Agriolimacidae)

Size: Varies widely by species, from 1 cm to over 20 cm in length.

Slug

Natural Habitat

Damp environments, including gardens, forests, under rocks, and leaf litter.

Diet & Feeding

Mostly herbivorous, feeding on living and decaying plant matter, fungi, and occasionally animal waste or other slugs.

Behavior Patterns

Nocturnal and moisture-dependent; they secrete mucus to move and prevent desiccation. They are hermaphroditic and lay clutches of gelatinous eggs.

Risks & Benefits

Benefits: Act as decomposers in the ecosystem. Risks: Significant garden and agricultural pests. Some species can carry parasites like the rat lungworm (Angiostrongylus cantonensis) if ingested by humans or pets.

Identified on: 5/14/2026