Slugs damage plants with their feeding, often completely destroying seedlings. As they move about, they leave an unsightly slime trail on plants and walks. If crushed on walks and driveways, slugs can present a hazard and often become an unsightly, malodorous mess. Instead of a shell, slugs have a smooth mantle, which is the raised area above the front part of the body. The mouth parts are hard and work like a rasp.
Eyes are on tentacles above the mouth parts.
All slugs need damp, humid conditions for development. During the day they hide out of sun and wind. They can burrow several inches into the soil under severely dry conditions. During their lifetime they produce fewer than 100 offspring. Most slugs overwinter in the egg stage.