90. Chocolate Arion

This large introduced slug is a familiar site for anyone that spends time outdoors on southern Vancouver Island.  The species is introduced from Europe and can be a major garden pest.  For many years we had very few of these at Leaning Oaks, but in the spring of 2013 the numbers increased greatly and the density of this species in the meadow and the garden was amazing.   There are a number of common names used for this species, and Chocolate Arion undoubtedly refers to a brown morph of this species.  Reddish colour forms (hence the Latin name Arion rufus) also exist but the commonest colour we see here is the jet black "Licorice Slug".

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