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Old 21-07-2008, 03:21 PM posted to uk.rec.gardening
Judith in France Judith in France is offline
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First recorded activity by GardenBanter: Feb 2008
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Default Rusty have you seen this????

copied this from the local paper of where I used to live in the UK:
Rusty lives in Norfolk, I wonder if you have come across this Rusty in
the local paper?

Scary slug spotted in Norfolk

Photo of a Ghost Slug or Selenochlamys ysbryda, as named by experts at
National Museum Cardiff.

EEN
21 July 2008 08:50

It sounds like something out of a 1950s American horror movie - a slug
that munches on flesh and could be spreading throughout the country.

But never fear, if we are about to be invaded by a new breed of
invertebrate, it is still nothing a good bit of salt or a beer trap
won't sort out.

Scientists at the National Museum in Cardiff are appealing for anyone
in Norfolk who comes across an all-white, worm eating, slug to get in
touch.

The creature is thought to be a new breed of the garden pest and,
prior to a possible sighting in Norfolk last week, it was known only
to exist in Wales.

Two women spotted the creature, which has been nicknamed the 'ghost
slug', while walking at Alby, near Aylsham.

Liz Jones, who found the slug with her friend, said: “We were just
walking down the track to where we keep our horses and it was on the
path eating a worm. It was big, as fat as your finger, and the worm
was gradually disappearing. It was revolting.”

The creatures have been given the Welsh name, Selenochlamys Ysbryda,
the second part of which is Welsh for ghost.
With no eyes or bodily colouring the slug lives underground. It is
carnivorous and kills earthworms with powerful, blade-like, teeth.

Though a similar type of creature is found in Turkey and Georgia the
ghost slug has been classed as a new breed and its origin is unknown.

It makes my garden slugs look positively friendly :-)