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Pacific NW slug ID help

 
Posts: 79
Location: Olympia, Wa
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Hi, I have been seeing a lot of these slugs around and I would like to know what they are. Some slugs are great and eat mostly dead plant material and others even eat other slugs! And of course some slugs like the invasive European brown are ruthless plant killers that need to be stopped!
I live on the southern end of the Salish sea just outside Olympia, Wa.
My best guess is a leopard slug but some confirmation would be great.

Also, if it is the leopard slug, I have seen some mixed info about their benefits. It looks like they mostly eat other slugs and dead plants. Can anyone confirm this?
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Posts: 576
Location: Richwood, West Virginia
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I know the orange slugs make great fish bait; too bad they wont overwinter or they could give the Red Wigglers a run for their money.
 
pollinator
Posts: 564
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Limax maximus or Giant Garden slug.  I have never heard of a Leopard slug.  Perhaps they are the same.

NW snails and slugs
 
Posts: 43
Location: Coos Bay, Oregon
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We call them leopard slugs here as well.  Although they are omnivorous, and eat other slugs and decaying plant matter, they will also mow down seedling plants.  Oregon lists them as an agricultural pest for that reason, and I lost several millet seedlings to them.  They also love mushrooms, but I think most slugs do.
 
Burl Smith
Posts: 576
Location: Richwood, West Virginia
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In related news...

"Snails are taken as food and also have
a great medicinal value rather than slugs.
Arion hortensis, the common garden slug is
sometimes swallowed whole as a treatment for
gastritis or stomach ulcers (Quave et al) and
also used for skin problems like skin lesions
with no skin scars. Crushed snails were used
for skin inflammations. In America slugs are
taken as ‗Slug Syrup‘which is used for the
treatment of ulcers, bronchitis, asthma".


International Journal Of Researches In Biosciences, Agriculture & Technology



 
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