Pacific Banana Slugs

Slugs. Such strange alien little creatures that slide along the earth on slime eating mostly decaying matter but also tender young garden plants. Hence, why I don't like them.

Yesterday, when the sky finally stopped crying, a young friend ran into our yard on an expedition and came back with a little friend. A friend I usually step on. Or pour salt on. Ouch! I had a closer look. I investigated online for more information and discovered they're kind of a cool.

Did you know that they are hermaphrodites and that they mate by exchanging sperm with their mate? It is also said that the Native Americans would let them crawl around in their mouth to numb a toothache. Apparently they have a bit of a anesthetic effect. The tentacles are used to get around. The top part, the eye stalk, is used to sense light and movement, the bottom part chemicals. They have one lung and their breathing hole is on their side. Their mouth on the bottom. At least this is what I remember from the top of my head. Oh yea, they like mushrooms. I do too. And their slithering around after a mushy snack helps spread the spore. Cool.

That is how a lot of things are. You have a heavy disdain for something or someone who bothers you and you don't see all the God fingerprints on them. They are there, I think, if we look hard enough.

Happy spring. I might start relocating slugs this year.