Eggs of the garden slug, Arion hortensis, photographed five weeks after they were laid, August ( Norfolk UK ).Slugs are members of the Pulmonata withi

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Eggs of the garden slug, Arion hortensis, photographed five weeks after they were laid, August ( Norfolk UK ).Slugs are members of the Pulmonata within the class Gastropoda; they breathe air through a rudimentary \lung\" within the mantle. The eggs of A. hortensis are laid in batches of 20-50 in damp situations and take a few weeks to hatch at normal ambient temperatures in late summer. A. hortensis is a widespread pest of gardens, feeding on tender foliage. The picture shows part of a batch of eggs of A. hortensis that was laid in the soil within a flower pot. There are two newly emerging slugs, one (above centre) with eyes and tentacles visible. The eggs are 5mm in diameter. A baby slug takes one year to attain its full adult size"

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Size: 3468px × 5212px
Photo credit: © DR JEREMY BURGESS/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No

Keywords: arion, eggs, eyes, garden, hatching, hortensis, pest, slug, tentacles