In my grandmother’s house a snail-trail-like substance is visible on the mat in the conservatory each morning. There are no apparent signs of a snail living in the room and the door is locked at night. Is there another insect or animal that causes this effect?
• The snail-trail-like substance is indeed caused by a snail-like-creature, but one without a shell – the slug.
Having recently been on a course run by the National Museum of Wales, I have begun to appreciate the subtleties of a slug’s life. It is more than likely that the slug is living in your grandmother’s house under a skirting board or cupboard, having probably entered attached to someone’s shoe.
In light it will immediately seek darkness and only appear at night. The slug, or slugs, will be delighted if there is a plate of dog or cat food close by.
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The slime trail that the slug leaves is one of its greatest defences because most animals, including humans, don’t like touching them and so leave the creatures alone. However, it is also a weakness because it reveals that the slugs have been present.
There are many different species of slugs found in the UK and the 2014 book Slugs of Britain and Ireland allows you to identify any slugs you may find and discover whether they are a garden pest (as many keen gardeners would have you believe) or helpful, for example with composting. I am saving my copy for when my grandchildren next visit so that we can all go on a slug hunt and discover how many species I have in my garden – or my house.
Gillian Coates, Trefor, Anglesey, UK
This article appeared in print under the headline “Trail of mystery”
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