In November I received an e-mail from a resident of Etobicoke, asking for information about large pumpkin coloured slugs encountered on a sidewalk as she walked her daughter to school.
It seems that my paintings of live slugs, native and introduced, and my recent training and mentoring by Swiss slug expert Ulrich Schnepatt, has made me the Canadian specialist in this case! Not only did I receive a shipment of the slugs in question to observe, photograph, preserve, and dissect in the process of discovering their identity, but a cascade of excitement about giant slugs ensued!
First, I was contacted by a writer for the Toronto Star, and we got an excellent article written about the mysterious new-to-science occurrence of giant orange slugs in Toronto. You can read the article here.
Immediately a steady stream of e-mails began (totalling 30 in two weeks), reporting sightings of giant slugs of two kinds (the big Arion, and the Leopard Slug, Limax maximus) from Oakville to Bowmanville, and Rockwood to Wiarton – even one from Sudbury! One from Croatia, and a photo taken in England.
In the midst of this excitement, the Royal Ontario Museum contacted me, asking for specimens, and Canadian Geographic Magazine plans to feature the public interest in these exotic creatures with a feature on citizen science in the June issue.
Our friend Kari Gunson, the road ecologist, made a map for me of all the localities reported in everyone’s e-mails, and it looks like this:
I have thoroughly enjoyed the first stage of this investigation, and invite everyone to participate – put your slugs on the map! The next stage will be site visits in the summer of 2010, to photograph and collect.
Slugs are fascinating, and GIANT slugs are astonishing! I have been watching them explore their surroundings, eat, and grow – and even lay eggs. Presently Philip and I are drawing and photographing the development of tiny slug embryos in clear-as-glass Limax eggs.
If you see a slug that is 5 centimetres or more, collect it or photograph it, send me a comment on this blog or e-mail me, Aleta Karstad - and together we’ll find out who these European introductions are, and how far they have spread.
I’ll see you all in the summer, as we re-visit all the places we’ve been across Ontario in the first stage of the 30 Years Later Expedition.
To see more of our slug project, visit www.pinicola.ca/slugwork.htm
Interesting site and data collection. I too have photo documented Limax maximus down in the Windsor, Ontario area this past summer.
I’ve grown up in east scarborough (Port union area) for the past 25 years and I can say that I have seen these slugs in my backyard my whole life. A lot of my friends that grew up in the same neighborhood had only ever seen them at my house, I speculate that it has to do with the fact that I live closer to the lake than most of the people I know. Just thought I’d share.
Aleta, I have collected two live specimens for you this past night from the Windsor, Ontario area – please contact me via my email ASAP.
we found a Leopard Slug, Limax maximus on our side walk at 145 am on Aug 15 2012 in Simcoe Ont Canada it is about 3to5 inches long . It is the first time seeing one this size . We have the slug in a container what would you suggest we do with it Thanks Jim and Rose
If you could take a couple of photos of it, alongside a ruler, and send the photo to me, I will forward to our colleague in Switzerland, who works with the international “Task Force Limax”, studying these slugs worldwide. Ulrich Schneppat is interested in their colour patterns, and where they are found worldwide.
Aleta
Yonge and Rosedale area in Toronto – just north of downtown – big Giant Garden Slugs – at least 5 of them spotted last night in the same vicinity, the largest being easily 6″ long.
I’ve never seen a slug that massive in the city. BIG.
The Limax has appeared in my backyard now and then. I made a video a few years back. East End Jumbo Slug Party: http://youtu.be/iLK-6z8asGs