Slugs may not be the meal of choice for humans, but they are a common menu item for insects, small animals, frogs, birds, and snakes. These animals consider slugs to be an excellent source of calcium and protein. Slugs are mollusks and unlike their cousin, the snail, they do not have a shell for protection, making them easy prey for small mammals, birds, amphibians, and reptiles. In this post, we’re going to explore the different animals that eat slugs.
What Eats Slugs?
Slugs tend to thrive around plants, trees, ponds, piles of stones and leaves, and hedges. Therefore, omnivorous or carnivorous animals that live in these areas are likely to feed on slugs occasionally.
What Insects Eat Slugs?
Even some insects like to feast on these slimy creatures.
Beetles
Despite being at the bottom of the food chain, beetles are known to eat living creatures themselves. Although not all beetles feed on slugs, the common ground beetle is a predator and so are its larvae.
Fireflies
Fireflies are carnivorous insects that prey on slugs, especially when they are larvae. They use a numbing chemical to inject slugs to catch them.
What Birds Eat Slugs?
Many bird species have a varied diet that includes slugs.
Songbirds
For songbirds, forests provide proper nutrition, especially during their annual migration from Canada to Central America. During this time, they feed on a lot of nutritious slugs and other insects living in the upper canopies of trees.
Blackbirds
These omnivores feed on earthworms, berries, seeds, and slugs.
Ducks
Ducks are known to be one of the best animals at finding and eating slugs, making them gardeners’ friends. These fluffy birds are gentle with plants, which makes them an ideal solution to keep slugs under control without using harmful pesticides. They forage best in wet conditions, and rain is when they can usually be found rummaging around for slugs to eat.
What Reptiles Eat Slugs?
Several reptiles enjoy eating slugs despite their reputation for larger prey.
Turtles
Slugs might be a turtle’s favorite food, especially for hatchlings, as they provide rich protein. Adult turtles tend to stick to vegetation.
Snakes
The Garter snake is one reptile species that almost exclusively feeds on slugs, which are commonly found in both urban and rural gardens.
Lizards
Lizards generally love eating slugs, and Slow worms, which resemble snakes but are legless lizards, are one