I know that those blobby gloop-bag things are part of the deal and that they're involved in the transfer of genetic material from one slug to the other, but beyond that, I'm ignorant of the story of slug reproduction. It's kind-of unlovely but having said that, I remember watching, years and years ago, film of two leopard slugs engaged in a suspended, twirling, wrapping-around sort of gyroscopic mating dance, and I remember being amazed by the beauty of it. My two slugs, down in the mud beside the compost heap, didn't quite match the glory of the leopards, but perhaps that was because there was no accompanying inspirational music. I should have hummed.
15 comments:
Awesome!
Although they are introduced pests, so the less of them the better.
I wrote a little about gastropod reproduction the other day.
All land slugs and snails are hermaphrodites,and the "exchange of genetic material" is almost always reciprocal. The blobby gloop-bag things are what your more sheltered readers might prefer I call the "intromissive organs".
Some species (not these ones) have 'love darts', which seem to increase the effectiveness of the dart shooter's sperm.
Music to their ears - or don't they have ears?
With all your various horticultural pursuits etc, I'm surprised you don't at times.(hum that is).
They have holes where maybe their ears should be but I think that's their breathing...thingy. Praying manti have their ears on their forearms, but that doesn't answer your question. Do you remember, Fred, a radio programme for children that used to play on Saturday mornings, that featured slugs that used to eat lettuce (or cabbage) and go,
"Uhuuuuuuuugh, uhuuuugh, uhuuuuugh!
(I can't reproduce the sound in text, but if you do know the programme, you'll know what I mean :-)
Colin - I'm usually hummin', but there are days when I whistle through gritted teeth.
Today was one of those, coincidentaly.
Slugs and snails don't hear. When you're that low to the ground you feel sound. Gastropod senses are more about taste and smell though.
(I left a comment about what was going on in this photo, but perhaps it considered too explicit for blogger's tastes :)
Love-darts!
Eeeeeew!
Your comment went into the spam-bin, David - I've no idea why. I never dump anything, consciously.
"Intromissive organs' eh! How do I get me one of those! :-)
I'm off to read your reproducing gastropods now, thanks!
Whistling through gritted teeth aye! does it help? if so I may have to try it before my teeth develop 'fault lines'.
I can't imagine Adam enjoys seeing his seedlings being devoured by these slimy belligerents, how does one 'blitzem' in an organic way? :-)
The art of slug management is a subtle one, Shunda. As 'Slug-slam' is off the menu in an organic garden, it comes down to beer. That's the conventional solution for pesticide-free properties anyway - a saucer of flat beer, set out to attract and drown the mucousy molluscs, but it's only partially successful. Ducks are also employed to clean up slugs, but they don't always do the job. Soot and crushed eggshells as barriers don't work. A battery-powered copper strip around a garden edge will, but I've never seen it done in reality. Hand picking's best and it doesn't take too long til they are under control. Ya get sticky fingers though, and then there's the issue of humane euthanazing. Covering seedlings with up-turned pottles etc. gets them through the early danger period. Fortunately for us, slugs are not a problem, though the two in the photo aren't helping.
And as to whistling, it helps a lot, if you know some Revolutionary anthems :-)
When I used to go to church, I was once called a "revolutionary" by the Pastor (he did NOT mean it as a good thing) shame he was also my father in law!
I wonder what he is up to now.......
Ima have to get one of those tunes!.
'Mr Wendell's one.
"Uhuuuuuuugh, uhuuuugh"...did they not use crispy consonants?
Their mouths were full.
You try it Suz!
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