[NatureNS] ambitious slugs

DKIM-Signature: v=1; a=rsa-sha256; c=relaxed/relaxed;
From: nancy dowd <nancypdowd@gmail.com>
Date: Thu, 19 Sep 2013 16:43:17 -0300
References: <2FCC97CF752C450DAB0315771EEFB34D@D58WQPH1>
To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca
Precedence: bulk
Return-Path: <naturens-mml-owner@chebucto.ns.ca>
Original-Recipient: rfc822;"| (cd /csuite/info/Environment/FNSN/MList; /csuite/lib/arch2html)"

next message in archive
no next message in thread
previous message in archive
previous message in thread
Index of Subjects

Index of Subjects
I believe slugs, and other gastropods, have a well-developed olfactory sense. They must be detecting chemical "smells" from the algae to lead them there.

As an example of their exceptional sense of smell, there are usually slugs on my parents' green cart. Lately there have been an unusual number of these snails too (correct ID if wrong-details below):
http://www.flickr.com/photos/92981528@N08/9763342726/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/92981528@N08/9763129461/

This cart sits on their back driveway in a sea of asphalt, at least 6' to any unpaved areas. The slugs and snails must pick up on the molecules from quite a distance to entice them to cross the inhospitable terrain.

Nancy

On 2013-09-19, at 10:59 AM, David & Alison Webster <dwebster@glinx.com> wrote:

> Dear All,                                        Sept 19, 2013
>   At the back door we have a metal box about 2 metres high, installed July 2011, which houses a mechanism to raise a wheelchair about 80 cm.
> 
>   Some months ago I was intrigued to see feeding tracks in the algal (algae assumed) growth that has gradually colonized the horizontal upper surface and subsequently, on a rainy day, saw a slug on that surface. There is no observable growth of algae on the vertical sides.
> 
>   It is evident that they don't climb up that smooth pillar just because it is there. There must be some leachate, from the algae, that tells a slug that there is food up there.
> 
> Yt, Dave Webster, Kentville
> 
> 

next message in archive
no next message in thread
previous message in archive
previous message in thread
Index of Subjects