A Hawaii gardener collecting invasive leatherleaf slugs from their yard made an unexpected discovery: an albino slug they decided to keep as a pet.
Here's what to know
The gardener's nightly removals aimed to interrupt the slugs' reproduction. In a post shared on Reddit's r/invasivespecies community, the gardener showed a night's collection after the slugs ravaged their plants.
"I live in Hawai'i and have a teeny tiny yard with a few plants that have been getting ravaged by these things," they wrote.
The gardener had announced plans to keep an albino slug in a follow-up that included another collection photo.
Despite the damage to their plants, the gardener expressed sympathy for the animals. When one commenter described the slugs as cute, the original poster replied, "Totally, makes me saddd."
Asked what would happen to the collected slugs, the gardener said, "Send them to the great lettuce garden in the sky."
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More background
The backyard struggle also sparked a discussion about how invasive species move from place to place, particularly through imported plants.
Imported plants were the gardener's suspected explanation when someone asked how the slugs had reached the area. They believed several species found locally were native to Africa and the Caribbean and had hitched rides on those plants.
Along with protecting their garden, the resident hoped to encourage beneficial creatures through a permaculture-style approach.
One commenter thanked the gardener for those efforts, expressing concern that extended beyond the damage to one small yard.
What can be done?
The gardener still preferred collecting the animals individually, despite commenters' suggestions for alternatives. Beer trays came up as a way to lure slugs in and drown them, while another commenter challenged the concern that traps would catch other creatures.
"I'm trying to do a permaculture type thing tho where I invite more beneficial creatures in my yard so I'm worried that traps would catch non invasive things too. So hand collecting for now!" the OP explained.
Daytime collection was easier than nighttime searches with a headlamp, according to one commenter. Their approach involved placing boards or weighted cardboard throughout the garden, then checking underneath during the day for slugs sheltering from the sun.
"Thanks for fighting the good fight for our indigenous plants. Hana ho!!" one commenter wrote.
Where can I learn more?
The Hawaii gardener's concern about harming other creatures also comes up in efforts to control invasive species elsewhere.
• In Kerala, India, residents conduct night hunts for giant snails spreading to farms and schools.
• On Vancouver Island, invasive lizards eat slugs and spare strawberries, but their presence alarms experts.
• A California gardener discovered an invasive hammerhead worm in a food garden, prompting warnings against cutting it.
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