Invertebrate · GBIF taxon 2295442
Yellow Cellar Slug
Limacus flavusAlso known as Cellar Slug, Yellow Slug, Tawny Garden Slug
Yellow cellar slugs navigate dark, damp environments like basements, compost bins, and old stone walls under the cover of night. Distinctive for their mottled yellow-green bodies and soft light blue tentacles, they secrete an unusually sticky yellow mucus when disturbed. They play a useful ecological role by feeding primarily on decaying vegetation, fungi, and lichen rather than healthy garden crops.
NocturnalMolluskDetritivore
1 / 7—observations
—countries
—peak records
Not EvaluatedConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXNot Evaluated — not placed on the risk ladderRed List categories, explained →
Diet & prey
- Decaying leaves
- Fungi
- Lichen
Predators
- Toads
- Hedgehogs
- Ground beetles
ThreatsSlug bait, habitat clearing, and extreme desiccation
HabitatsCellars, damp basements, stone walls, gardens, and compost heaps
Life span2–3 years
Size / weightNot available
Classification
- FamilyLimacidae
- SpeciesLimacus flavus
Range data is not available yet.
Interaction riskLow
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Very high
- Why interaction risk is low
- Safe to observe at a normal distance.
Responsible observation
- Nighttime searching: Look along moist stone foundations and cellar entrances after dark using a flashlight.
- Handle with care: Washing off their thick defensive yellow slime requires soap and warm water.
Competitor (c) Drepanostoma, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Drepanostoma · cc-by
Image unavailableClose Relative 
Family Member (c) Rachel Lee Harper, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Rachel Lee Harper · cc-by
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