Pacific Banana Slug
Ariolimax columbianus
A large forest slug of the Pacific Northwest, often found in damp coniferous woods, redwood forests, and leaf litter after rain. It feeds mostly on decaying plants, fungi, lichens, and soft vegetation, helping recycle nutrients through the forest floor. When threatened, it relies on thick sticky mucus with bitter and numbing chemicals that can deter would-be predators. Despite its soft body and slow pace, it is one of North America’s largest terrestrial slugs.
- Type
- Venom
- Conservation status
- NE