Printable Slug Mask

5 Interesting Facts About Slugs!

• Slugs produce two types of mucus - a thin watery slime for gliding on, and a much thicker, stickier mucus used as a defence. The defensive slime is so adhesive it's nearly impossible to remove and is being studied for medical adhesive applications.
• They have four tentacles, not two - the upper pair have eyes at the tips (they can see light and dark but not detailed images), while the lower pair are used for smell and taste.
• Slugs are hermaphrodites - every individual has both male and female reproductive organs. When two slugs mate, both can potentially become pregnant, and they sometimes have to chew off their own reproductive organs to separate afterwards.
• The banana slug of North America can grow up to 25cm long - making it the second largest terrestrial slug in the world and a startling encounter for any hiker on the Pacific Coast.
• Slug slime is one of nature's most remarkable substances - it's simultaneously a lubricant (reducing friction so they can move) and an adhesive (allowing them to climb vertical surfaces and even move upside down).