Slugs

Updated September 25, 2026 · The Pest Guide · Editorial policy

These soft-bodied creatures share a total lack of an external shell, wings, and legs, relying instead on a single muscular foot that leaves a glistening, silvery trail of slime behind them. Because their permeable skin makes them intensely vulnerable to drying out, you will rarely see them wandering about in the afternoon sun, choosing instead to wait out the daylight hours in damp hiding spots beneath rotting logs, flat stones, or overturned flower pots before emerging at night to chew holes in your garden greens.

You can easily tell true slugs apart from the creatures they are most often confused with by looking closely at their anatomy and habits. Snails look nearly identical at a glance, but they always carry a hard external spiral shell on their backs, whereas true slugs have nothing of the sort. Meanwhile, those pesky rose slugs stripping your rose bushes during the day are actually insect sawfly larvae with distinct body segments and tiny legs, and caterpillars or cutworms possess real head capsules and prolegs rather than a smooth, unsegmented, slimy body.

Explore slugs

Slugs

Questions about slugs

SlugsHow do you get rid of slugs in the garden?Learn how to effectively identify and get rid of slugs in your garden using safe, approved methods.SlugsHow do you prevent slugs in a garden?Learn how to prevent slugs in a garden using cultural sanitation, proper moisture management, physical traps, and safe bait application.SlugsHow do you get rid of slugs on hostas?Learn how to get rid of slugs on hostas safely and effectively using integrated pest management, cultural sanitation, and baits.SlugsHow do you get rid of garden snails?Learn how to effectively get rid of garden snails using safe and practical methods, from manual removal to proper baiting techniques.SlugsAre slugs good for a garden?An informational guide examining whether slugs are beneficial in a garden, providing identification cues, practical management steps, and safety warnings.SlugsAre slugs poisonous?An informational guide explaining whether slugs are poisonous, detailing the real toxicity risks from synthetic baits versus iron phosphate, and providing practical identification SlugsAre slugs dangerous?An informational guide explaining whether slugs are dangerous to humans and pets, detailing identification, safe control methods, and emergency contacts.SlugsAre slugs mollusks?An informational guide explaining whether slugs are mollusks, how to identify them, and how to manage them safely.SlugsDo slugs have shells?An informative guide explaining whether slugs have shells, how to identify them, practical steps for control, and safety precautions.SlugsAre snails and slugs the same thing?An informational guide examining the differences and similarities between snails and slugs.SlugsCan chickens eat slugs?An informational guide explaining whether chickens eat slugs, natural predator alternatives, bait safety, and control measures.SlugsAre leopard slugs poisonous?An informative guide explaining whether leopard slugs are poisonous, detailing their physical traits, and outlining safe management methods.SlugsWhat are black slugs?An informative guide explaining what black slugs are, how to identify them, practical management steps, and when to seek professional or medical help.SlugsWhy are slugs in the house?An informative guide explaining why slugs enter houses, how to identify them, practical steps to remove them, and when to seek professional help.SlugsSlugs in a vegetable bed: where should you look first?Learn where to look for slugs in your vegetable bed during the day, how to identify their damage, and practical ways to manage them safely.SlugsHow do you protect seedlings from slugs without relying on a single method?Learn how to protect your garden seedlings from slugs using a practical, multi-layered approach that goes beyond single remedies.SlugsWhat does rose sawfly larva damage look like on rose leaves?Learn to identify rose sawfly larva damage on rose leaves, understand their feeding habits, and find practical ways to manage them safely.SlugsRose sawfly larvae vs rose slug sawflies: what naming difference matters?Discover why the name difference between rose sawfly larvae and rose slugs matters for effective garden pest control.