Slugs are an important part of a gardeners life as year after year they range in the top ten of gardening pests – they were the number one garden pest in 2017 and returned to this top ranking position again in 2020. As a result there are lots of questions asked about slugs, with ‘How long do slugs live?’ being one of the main ones . . .
Here we try to answer this question for you with all the facts and figures we know about slugs in the UK.
Slugs on average have a life expectancy of about 12 to 18 months, but in some instances they have been found to live for as long as six years. However, we wouldn’t expect you to come across slugs older than 18 months in your garden . . . it’s only those large, non-pest species of slugs which can be kept in captivity that can live for numerous years.
The life cycle of slugs can be divided into the following stages:
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Eggs Slugs start as an spherical egg. When slugs lay eggs they will find a moist crevice where they will lay a batch of gelatinous, watery eggs. The weather conditions then determine how long it takes for these eggs to develop and hatch – in warm weather eggs can hatch within 10 days. Something to note . . . slug eggs can lie dormant for years before hatching when the conditions are right.
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Neonate
When the egg hatches this ‘new’ slug is termed a neonate. These tiny little slugs will weigh between just 1 – 10mg. At this size their food of choice is algae or fungus.
These little slugs are extremely vulnerable to being eaten by predators such as ducks or toads.
Juvenile
As the neonate eats and grows and its weight goes over 10mg it can then be classed as a juvenile. Similar in colour to adult slugs these hungry juvenile slugs will rapidly increase in size.
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Adult It takes about 12 months for a slug to mature into an adult and can begin to reproduce. Adult slugs can range in size from 3 inches up to 7 inches. Their lifespan is then determined by how well they can avoid harsh weather, pests and poisons. Did you know ? An adult slug can eat several times their own body weight every day. |
If you want to learn even more about slugs take a look at our A - Z of Garden Slugs which we've packed full of fascinating facts and top tips.