/oss/taxonomy/term/3229/all en /oss/article/student-contributors-environment-did-you-know/licking-banana-slug-will-make-your-tongue-go-numb <p>Slugs, in all their slimy glory, aren’t usually associated with food. But banana slugs (genus <i>Ariolimax</i>) are named after their colour, not their taste. As tempting as it sounds, don’t try to lick one, because the slime secreted by these gastropods is an anaesthetic!</p> Thu, 25 Aug 2022 18:25:55 +0000 Haleh Cohn 9212 at /oss /oss/article/you-asked/do-egg-shells-prevent-slugs-and-snails-eating-my-plants <p><span>Snails and slugs, which are basically snails without shells, share dietary habits. They like to feast on garden plants such as tomatoes. Maybe the snails are just exercising revenge for their brethren that have ended up as escargot. When it comes to the garden, obviously these slithering creatures are not welcome guests, so the question is what to do about them? According to some widely circulating advice, they can be disinvited to the party by placing crushed eggshells around plants. The rationale is that crawling over the sharp edges will deter an invasion.</span></p> Thu, 31 May 2018 18:00:00 +0000 Joe Schwarcz PhD 7119 at /oss