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Photographs of yellow slugs for the information of Simon

Dear Peter I agree with the determination as Limacus maculatus. The colouration can be variable between this and L. flavus but the latter is generally paler and has a pale stripe on the back. The size of the body tubercules is another useful character and your specimen has coarse tubercules, further supporting L. maculatus. L. maculatus is widespread in Essex but has achieved this very rapidly, in just a few years. The spread has been so rapid that NBN has not been able to keep up (though I am surprised there are no records shown for Essex as I have submitted some myself) and the recently published new slug book even admits its distribution map for the species is out of date. L. flavus has been rather outcompeted by L. maculatus and is now rare in Essex, as they tend to both enjoy the same manmade habitats (homes and gardens), whereas L. maculatus can achieve huge numbers, including in my garden. I would be interested to make a note of your record if you could supply the relevant data. Kind regards Simon Taylor EFC Mollusc Recorder abmanuk@hotmail.com

I have recently been in correspondence with iSpot contributor's regarding a slug found in our compost bin. http://www.ispotnature.org/node/734630 Refers. I would be interested in your views on this observation please.