KNOWN to eat dead mammals, dog excrement and even each other, Spain’s ‘killer slugs’ are now in Britain.
The Arion vulgaris, which has now been confirmed as a species living in the UK, is believed to have smuggled its way in on imported salad leaves and bred rapidly.
Experts predict the creature will not only cause problems for gardeners but also within Britain’s lucrative oilseed industry.
“There are reports of oilseed rape having problems this year which we think could well be because of this Spanish slug,” said leading researcher Dr Ian Bedford.
“I’ve actually seen them in a potato field in the middle of summer sliming across dry, sandy soil.
“The agronomist with me couldn’t believe what he was seeing, because slugs don’t usually do that. It’s a hardy species,” he added.
