Crawling After Banana Slugs

The movie is, well, a bit slow going. Though that is hardly the fault of the cinematographer – I mean, we are dealing with slugs here.

 

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This last months increase in precipitation has brought out the Banana Slugs. Banana Slugs are abundant, and can be found everywhere in the lower elevations of the Tongass Rain Forest here in Southeast Alaska.

I enjoy filming Banana Slugs. Like me, they are slow moving, and for a old cripple like me, they are easy to follow as they slim their way across the forest floor. You don’t want to touch the slugs slime, or get any on your shoes. Like most slimy gluey substances, it is hard to remove. What ever you do, don’t get the slugs slime on your camera lens!I have heard that some people in California eat Banana Slugs. Which could explain a lot of things.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Banana slug is a common name for three species of air-breathing land slug in the genus Ariolimax. These slugs are often yellow in color and are sometimes spotted with brown like a ripe (or overripe) banana.
Ariolimax is a genus of terrestrial pulmonate gastropod molluscs in the family Ariolimacidae.
Ariolimax is the type genus of the family Ariolimacidae. It was previously placed in the family Arionidae.

Banana slugs are usually bright yellow (giving rise to the banana sobriquet) although they may also be green, brown, or white. Some slugs have black spots (Ariolimax columbianus) which may be so extensive as to make the animal look almost solid black.
The Pacific banana slug is the second-largest species of terrestrial slug in the world, growing up to 25 centimetres (9.8 in) long,[4] and weights of 115 gram (4 oz).[5] (The largest slug species is Limax cinereoniger of Europe, which can reach 30 centimetres (12 in) in length.)
Banana slugs can move at 6 ½ inches (16.5 cm) per minute.[6]

Slugs use two pairs of tentacles to sense their environment. The larger, upper pair, termed “eyestalks,” are used to detect light or movement. The second, lower pair are used to detect chemicals. The tentacles can retract and extend themselves to avoid damage.
Banana slugs have a single lung which opens externally via pneumostome. The pneumostome lung cavity is heavily vascularized to allow gas exchange. Dehydration is a major problem for the mollusk. Banana slugs excrete a thick coating of mucus around their bodies and can also estivate. They secrete a protective layer of mucus, and insulate themselves with a layer of soil and leaves. They remain inactive in this state until the environment is moist again.

Courtship
The slime also contains pheromones to attract other slugs for mating. Slugs are hermaphrodites, and reproduce by exchanging sperm with their mate. They produce up to 75 translucent eggs, which are laid in a log or on leaves. Slugs mate and lay eggs throughout the year. The adults provide no further care for their eggs beyond finding a suitable hiding spot, and the eggs are abandoned as soon as the clutch is laid.[7]

Banana slugs are detritivores, or decomposers. They process leaves, animal droppings, and dead plant material, and then recycle them into soil humus. They seem to have a fondness for mushrooms, and they spread seeds and spores when they eat, and excrete a nitrogen rich fertilizer.[7][8] By consuming detritus (dead organic matter) slugs contribute to decomposition and the nutrient cycles[9] and are an important aspect of the ecosystem.

Raccoons, garter snakes, ducks, geese and salamanders sometimes eat banana slugs; they roll the slugs in soil to bind the slime. Juvenile banana slugs are sometimes eaten by shrews or moles, and people from California.