The slug pictured above is the largest member of the Round-Backed type of slug. The round backed slugs have no keel, although they often bear numerous rows of elongated tubercles. The breathing pore is near the front of the right hand edge of the mantle (see picture below).

This slug is found in gardens, hedgerows, verges and many other places and it feeds on almost anything. It does not do much damage to the garden, however. The mucus secreted by this species is very thick and strong and it is quite difficult to pull the slug away from its position. It is even more difficult to remove the mucus from one's hand afterwards. This particular species has immense powers of contraction, and it will condense itself into a hemisphere when picked up: what is more, the hemisphere will then start to sway about, looking like an animated prune (see below).

The rich chestnut coloured slugs (see picture below) one finds in the garden or on the verges differ only very slightly from the Large Black and the two are regarded as varieties of the same species.

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