Tiger Slug - Limax Maximus

, in Happening

Tiger Slug from side
Tiger Slug from side

I disturbed this fellow while gardening today. He took off at speed across my lawn but since he is a slug I had plenty of time to get my camera a snap a few shots.

This is Limax Maximus - the Tiger Slug (or Leopard Slug depending on whether you like the striped tail or the spotted mantle) and they are impressively large. My garden is full of them. Most slugs I kill on sight, but I leave the Tiger Slugs alone because they supposedly kill other garden pests. Besides, they give me a slow moving target to practice macro photography.

Tiger Slug from front
Tiger Slug from front

Arrrggh, it's coming right for me!