Range

Leopard slugs have been introduced to every continent except Antarctica. Their native range was in Europe though the exact extent of their original range is unconfirmed.

At present they can be found in the following countries in Europe – Albania, Andorra, Austria, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Guernsey, Hungary, Ireland, Isle of Man, Italy, Jersey, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Netherlands, North Macedonia, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine and United Kingdom.

Introduced populations exist across much of Australia, New Zealand, Mozambique, South Africa, Canada, Mexico, United States of America, Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, China, Japan and India.

Habitat

They make their home in forests in their native range. In their introduced range the leopard slugs are primarily found near human dwellings.

Reproduction

Leopard slugs are hermaphrodites. Both individuals will have male and female reproductive organs and produce offspring after a successful mating.

They have an interesting mating technique. Pairs will climb together up a tree or on to a rock. They then lower themselves down on a mucus rope and intertwine their bodies. This movement is always done in an anti-clockwise direction.

Once their bodies are intertwined their penis will come out from the reproductive opening on the side of their head behind the antennae. They exchange sperm and then climb back up on to the tree with one eating the mucus on which they were suspended.

Sperm may be stored for months or years.

Their eggs will be laid in the soil in groups of up to 100.

The eggs will incubate for 20 days after which they hatch. Young slugs appear as a miniature version of their parents.

Behavior

Leopard slugs are primarily active by night. They are often seen after rain. Their activity can be noticed due to the trails of slime which are left behind.

Predators and Threats

Leopard slugs will be killed by humans mainly to stop them eating plants in a yard.

Due to the way they have spread across much of the world they are not under any major threat.

Quick facts

The leopard slug has spread to every continent except Antarctica.