Threat to the garden: giant Spanish slugs have crawled to Nizhny Novgorod

      On June 3, 2026, at 12:41, Society In Nizhny Novgorod, the appearance of the Spanish slug has been recorded. This was reported by Alexey Mukhanov, a senior lecturer at the Department of Botany and Zoology of the Institute of Biology and Biomedicine of NNGU, to RIA Novosti. According to him, this species has only been found in the regional center within the Nizhny Novgorod region. Among the nearest areas where it has also been identified are Moscow and the Moscow region. The expert explained that the Spanish slug is noticeably different from local species. It is larger, reaching 12-15 centimeters in length, and most often has a dark brown color, although other variations are also found. The main problem, as noted by the specialist, is that this is an invader - a species that has found itself outside its natural range. In new conditions, it has no natural enemies.

      "Therefore, it reproduces uncontrollably and increases its population. Garden and vegetable plantings suffer mainly in those areas where the slug has already spread," Mukhanov said.

      At the same time, there are currently no effective methods for combating the Spanish slug. Only a slight decrease in population is demonstrated by chemical preparations, the expert added. It was previously reported that a particularly dangerous pest, the harmful tortoise bug, has been recorded in the Nizhny Novgorod region. NIA "Nizhny Novgorod" has channels on Telegram and MAX. Subscribe to stay informed about the main events, exclusive materials, and operational information. Copyright © 1999-2025 NIA "Nizhny Novgorod". When reprinting, a hyperlink to NIA "Nizhny Novgorod" is mandatory. This resource may contain materials 18+.