Black slugs ?

I'm sure you get lots of posts regarding slugs - but I am curious about the ones I am seeing now in my garden. They are very big and some are at least 4" long and black ! ... I have asked my sister who still lives down south if she has seen any of these in her garden and she said no I just wondered if anyone else in my area ( Tyne & Wear) have had problems with these visitors ... Val

 

Hi ismeval the black slug(arion ater)is probably the least damaging of all the slugs an omnivorous species, eating carrion and dung as well as vegetable matter. It prefers rotting vegetation to living plants and consequently rarely does much harm in the garden. Largely nocturnal, but large numbers have been seen on freshly mown roadside verges feeding on the grass after daytime rain. Clusters of their pearly-white spherical eggs, about 5mm in diameter, are often dug up in the garden and compost heaps.