Name: Milky Slug (Deroceras reticulatum)
Other names: Grey fieldslug, Field slug, Milky slug Family: Agriolimacidae Conservation Status: Not evaluated (NE) Description: A mature grey fieldslug ranges in length from 35 to 50 mm. The stout body of this slug may be cream-colored, greyish or has a slight pink-grey color. The mantle has concentric striations and usually covers more than one-third the length of the slug. There are dark brown or grey flecks concentrated between the tubercles. The tentacles are dark in color. The thin, clear, sticky mucus of this slug often becomes a milky white when it is harassed. There is a short keel at the tail end. The sole of the foot is tripartite, whitish to grey-yellow in color with the median field grey. The pneumostome (breathing pore) having a raised, pale border is located in the posterior forth of the mantle. Origin: Western Europe Distribution: U.S.: Alabama, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Illinois, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, Oklahoma, Utah, Washington, Wisconsin, Wyoming. Canada: Newfoundland, Quebec, Ontario, British Columbia Habitat: It is often found in gardens and fields. Diet: Commercial crops such as cauliflower, cabbage, potato, and others. It also eats mushrooms, dead slugs, or earthworms. Reproduction: This species may reproduce throughout the warmer months, but more in the late summer and fall in the Northeast. A mating pair of slugs conducts a circular “nuptial dance” in which they follow each other and move their sarcobelum, a stimulating organ everted from the reproductive tract, over their partner’s body. Mating occurs after 30 minutes or more. Eggs may number several dozen and hatch in 3-4 weeks. Adults die in the fall, so most D. reticulatum overwintering are new hatchlings.
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AboutDymadex's blogs on bugs, including insects and arachnids. Insects are hexapod invertebrates like ants, beetles, bees, and flies. Arachnids are joint-legged invertebrates like spiders, scorpions, ticks, and harvestmen. Other organisms in this blog include centipede, millipede, and worms. Archives
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