FARMERS BULLETIN 959. 



The individuals more generally found range in length from 1-J to 4 

 inches. The slug varies in color from a more or less yellowish gray or 

 brown, mottled with black, to uniform dark gray and black. Usually 



three uninterrupted rows of black spots 

 extend from the mantle, or shield-like 

 covering on the fore part of the back 

 and sides, to the hind end of the body 

 (fig. 1). The younger forms usually are 

 uniform in color. The mantle is yellow- 

 ish, marked with black spots. The large 

 breathing opening is situated on the right 

 side near the base of the mantle. The 

 long, stout " horns," or peduncles, which 

 are thrust forward when the slug is in 

 motion, bear the black eyes at the tip. A 

 sticky mucous secretion exudes from the 

 body of the creature. 







HISTORY AND DISTRIBUTION. 



The spotted garden slug was first de- 

 scribed in 1758 by Linnaeus, who found 

 it in shaded places and woods. Its first 

 appearance in the United States does not 

 seem to be definitely recorded, but its 

 occurrence in New England extends over 

 a period of upwards of 50 years. The 

 species is widely distributed, being 

 known all over Europe, in Asia Minor, 

 Corsica, Sicily, Sardinia, the Azores, 

 Madeira, New Zealand, and the United 

 States. It is more abundant along the 

 Atlantic and Pacific coasts than in the 

 interior of the United States. 



FOOD AND HAUNTS. 



This slug attacks plants of many 

 kinds. Its favorite foods are fungi and 

 stored tubers, but it is also fond of raw 

 beef and sour milk. It has been recorded 

 as feeding on lettuce (fig. 2), celery, to- 

 mato, parsnip, carrot, strawberry, beet, 

 turnip, cabbage, onion, leeks, melons, 

 beans, peas, white potato, sweet potato, 



and common grasses. It displays considerable fondness for the 



foliage of violets. 



FIG. 1. The spotted garden 

 slug, full grown. About nat- 

 ural size. 



