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Dear Lara:
It's an icky sight that ruins summer nights - slugs and slimy trails all over your garden! But
slugs must be slimy to survive. Otherwise, their soft, mushy bodies couldn't go anywhere. A slug
produces slippery slime to protect itself from sharp twigs and thorns in its path. It then glides
forward on its self-made trail of slime.
Slug slime is similar to the stuff that oozes from your nose when you have a cold. But this
slime is nothing to sneeze at--after all, it keeps this mollusk movin'! A slug secretes mucus from
a gland on its underside, or foot, just behind its mouth. Slugs hold onto this self-made sticky
surface and use it to climb up tree trunks and plant stems. The slime keeps the slug moist and
prevents it from drying out and dying, too.
The slime also makes would-be predators think twice about slurping down a slug. Why? For one
thing, it tastes DISGUSTING!! In an experiment, one curious German man ran his finger over the back
of a large slug and tasted the slime. It was so horrible that he couldn't get rid of the flavor
after spitting and rinsing his mouth with whiskey! His appetite for food was gone for three days
afterward (you could call it the slug diet!). Scientists have also watched young birds learn their
lessons the hard way. After trying to eat a slug, the bird will spit it out, flutter around wildly,
and rub its beak on the ground! For a slug, being the wrong flavor can be a lifesaver!
Signed,
Wendell
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