Or are they just bird food? :roll:

I suppose theyre a part of the food chain. You never know, if you go back far enough and study it for long enough WE might not even exist without them cos of their role in it.

Don't they eat greenfly and other unwanted insects.

Originally posted by kittykat
I suppose theyre a part of the food chain. You never know, if you go back far enough and study it for long enough WE might not even exist without them cos of their role in it.

Yes, there will be that one something that if we take out of the chain it will wipe us out.

Originally posted by The Cycleracer
Don't they eat greenfly and other unwanted insects.
AFAIK they are veggie.

got some nice close ups of slugs if anyone's interested.

Originally posted by Phanerothyme
got some nice close ups of slugs if anyone's interested.

Might pass on that one, but thanks anyway. Could bring back too many memories of the last tory cabinet.

Originally posted by maxt
Might pass on that one, but thanks anyway. Could bring back too many memories of the last tory cabinet.

lol
Wasn't Steve Bell's Norman Lamont a slug?

Originally posted by Phanerothyme
lol
Wasn't Steve Bell's Norman Lamont a slug?

Yes, and I think Spitting Image had Cecil P as a slug, too.

Originally posted by Phanerothyme
AFAIK they are veggie.

got some nice close ups of slugs if anyone's interested.

They feast on cat food though!

This begs the age old question, what is the purpose of life on earth? any life, from the higher forms all the way down to slugs, saying they are part of the food chain is no answer, are we part of some celestial super plan ? or are we just a fluke? a coincidence? a freak of nature? then again what is nature? Who are we? what are we here for? What is the point? What is the purpose of our existence?

I cannot beleive that we on this Earth are of any significance, when taken in the context of the whole Universe, what part do we play? how important are we? if we are at all, the Universe doesn't need us and we don't need it, in fact, as the media says, we can be destroyed today by some gigantic Asreroid colliding with Earth.

42

Originally posted by halevan
This begs the age old question, what is the purpose of life on earth? any life, from the higher forms all the way down to slugs, saying they are part of the food chain is no answer, are we part of some celestial super plan ? or are we just a fluke? a coincidence? a freak of nature? then again what is nature? Who are we? what are we here for? What is the point? What is the purpose of our existence?

I cannot beleive that we on this Earth are of any significance, when taken in the context of the whole Universe, what part do we play? how important are we? if we are at all, the Universe doesn't need us and we don't need it, in fact, as the media says, we can be destroyed today by some gigantic Asreroid colliding with Earth.
I thought you believed in God Halevan.

Like most teleological questions, is as difficult as it is simple. In the big picture the purpose of a slug's life is similar to the purpose of any life. Slugs fulfill roles within the environment that includes functions like converting decaying matter into more useful fertilizers for later generations of plant and animal life. They are food for birds and frogs, some eat garbage and other refuse that lays around and of course many eat hole in leaves of garden plants providing gardeners with things to complain about.
Some believe that all lives on the planet are in a state of spiritual evolution. In that case a slug's life might be a starting place for a soul with a long way to go. Certainly slugs have served to make me marvel at the unlikely diversity of life forms.

I didn't write this, no really.
I got it from Here (http://www.redscarf.com/slime/slugfaq.shtml)
I'm bored ok:roll:

If anyone doesn't deserve to live on the planet it is the locust that does nothing but reproduce and eat until all food supplies have gone and areas are devastated and then move onto another - the human being.

Wasps are just bees without a decent PR dept.

I do beleive in God PRM. but I am also a thinker, what is your opinion of why we are here? come on, give us your reasons for a change, instead of making snide remarks criticising and picking at what other people post on the Forum. Why do YOU think there is life on Earth? no, you haven't an answer do you? your higher "INTELLIGENCE" lets you down here doesn't it, you do not know any more than us DO YOU?

Originally posted by halevan
I do beleive in God PRM. but I am also a thinker, what is your opinion of why we are here? come on, give us your reasons for a change, instead of making snide remarks criticising and picking at what other people post on the Forum. Why do YOU think there is life on Earth? no, you haven't an answer do you? your higher "INTELLIGENCE" lets you down here doesn't it, you do not know any more than us DO YOU? :roll: how did a simple question about a slug turn into "does halevan believe in god" ?????

Originally posted by LouiseB
42


Are you sure it's not 43??

maybe thats where i've been going wrong

Originally posted by alchresearch
If anyone doesn't deserve to live on the planet it is the locust that does nothing but reproduce and eat until all food supplies have gone and areas are devastated and then move onto another - the human being.

Some people depend on locusts for their survival. They are very nutritous.

Slugs ugh! Still I suppose they are just homeless snails, so maybe we should feel sorry for them.

Originally posted by halevan
I do beleive in God PRM. but I am also a thinker, what is your opinion of why we are here? come on, give us your reasons for a change, instead of making snide remarks criticising and picking at what other people post on the Forum. Why do YOU think there is life on Earth? no, you haven't an answer do you? your higher "INTELLIGENCE" lets you down here doesn't it, you do not know any more than us DO YOU?

**shrug**

1. How can I know whether I know any more than you do unless I know what you know, which I cannot?

2. Your statement -
I cannot beleive that we on this Earth are of any significance, when taken in the context of the whole Universe, what part do we play? how important are we? if we are at all, the Universe doesn't need us and we don't need it, in fact, as the media says, we can be destroyed today by some gigantic Asreroid colliding with Earth.

seemed to me to be inconsistent with a belief in God, where humanity is the centrepiece of God's creation. Perhaps it's not, but you'd need to explain that to me. I was simply wondering whether you had recanted your faith or not.

That's all, nothing snide about it.

(edited for spelling)

Yes they provide 'my' hedgehog with many a tasty snack.

Okay P.R.M.
If you know it all, where did the Universe come from? was it created? if so, by whom or what? do you think it just happened? if so how? do you beleive it was created by a God or a super spiritual being? do you beleive in a God? bearing in mind the Universe is a fact: we can actually see it.

Has the Universe been created out of nothing? if so how? there are and have been on this Earth, better brains than yours who have beleived in a God, so don't think you know all the answers, because it would be a very arrogant, indifferent man who did.

Originally posted by halevan
Okay P.R.M.
If you know it all, where did the Universe come from?
What makes you think it came from anywhere?
was it created?
No

if so, by whom or what?

see above

do you think it just happened?

No

if so how?

See above

do you beleive it was created by a God or a super spiritual being?
no
do you beleive in a God?

no

bearing in mind the Universe is a fact: we can actually see it.

Has the Universe been created out of nothing?

see above

if so how?

see above

there are and have been on this Earth, better brains than yours who have beleived in a God, so don't think you know all the answers, because it would be a very arrogant, indifferent man who did.
I have never said I know all the answers, I was just wondering if you had recanted your faith since your statement in this thread seems to be at odds with your belief in the Christian God.

I agree with your statement FWIW. (about us and this planet not being very special).

They provide fun for many sadistic youngsters. Salt Mr Sluggy?

No, really, i love slugs and never did that... I have total respect for slugs and understand their role in the world. :|

without slugs we may not even exist!!

Al :)

Does anyone know the purpose of slugs???

Surely being at the bottom of the food chain is not there only quality!!

I am really interested to know if they serve any real purpose in nature.

To make pretty silver slime all over our cellar room/computer room?

Same purpose as for a human being ... bloomin' pointless !!

;) http://www.sheffieldforum.co.uk/showthread.php?s=&threadid=2720&highlight=slugs we have done this one before :rolleyes:

Threads merged. Thanks

for those of us that admire and wonder at the sheer diversity and ingenuity of life here is a nice picture of a magnificent gastropod (http://www.skunkulike.co.uk/slug-1.jpg) rearing up on its, er, foot devouring a leaf.

What became of the hapless aphid is not recorded.

... I see a new hollywood action movie in the offing...

Originally posted by Phanerothyme
AFAIK they are veggie. I hesitate to inform you folks out there but I've frequently seen them feasting on fresh dog t**ds, particularly when the weather is cool and damp

Originally posted by Phanerothyme
got some nice close ups of slugs if anyone's interested. Nice + slugs; isn't there an inherent contradiction here?
I'll pass on the photos thanks. The above mentioned sight has been more than enough for me, ta.;)

Slugs are hermaphrodites they all have male and female reproductive systems. Yes, they can mate with themselves!!! They can stretch to 20 times their normal length enabling them to squeeze through openings to get at food. Slugs can follow slime trails they left from the night before. Other slugs can also pick up on this same trail creating a slug network to the host plants! Slugs and snails actually both have shells. Slugs' shells are much smaller and not visible as they are underneath the flesh on their back.
And in the Northwest of the good ole USA they have banana slugs which are bright yellow, grow to 8 inches with some up to 18 inches! (cue any G Bush jokes :D )

Im slightly concerned about the whole slug network thing, think you could get them for being a terrorist organisation? after all they do untold damage to your prize winning hostas :D

Originally posted by Mosherchik
I'm slightly concerned about the whole slug network thing, think you could get them for being a terrorist organisation? after all they do untold damage to your prize winning hostas :D
I protect my Hostas with WMD.......I've got more chemical weapons in my shed than they found in the whole of Iraq;)
In fact I had a visit from a very nice man called Colin Powell who was so impressed with my shed that he took some photos of it. I'm not sure why he wanted me to pose next to it, wearing a tea towel on my head though!

Slugs fulfill roles within the environment that includes functions like converting decaying matter into more useful fertilizers for later generations of plant and animal life. They are food for birds and frogs, some eat garbage and other refuse that lays around and of course many eat hole in leaves of garden plants providing gardeners with things to complain about.

^^ ooh plagiarism http://www.redscarf.com/slime/slugfaq.shtml
Slugs condition the soil by adding minerals to it.

Dragged up from 2003 this post :huh: .
Anyway, slugs are important to keep the Salt miners in a Job. I have used 1 container of Saxo already this summer.

Same purpose as for a human being ... bloomin' pointless !!
Was just going to make a similar comment myself.

If slugs are pointless, then humans must be even more pointless.

Slugs take, and give back. Humans? Well, we know the answer to that one.

I think humans should be the last ones to be asking what use other creatures are.

Of course they do. They start of working on cruise ships, move swiftly through the Trade Union hirearchy and lo and behold become Deputy Prime Minister. :D

Do slugs have a purpose in life?

Or are they just bird food? :roll:
To make more slugs perhaps.

If by ‘purpose’ you mean how are they useful to us humans? I don’t think they are.

Okay P.R.M.
If you know it all, where did the Universe come from? was it created? if so, by whom or what? do you think it just happened? if so how? do you beleive it was created by a God or a super spiritual being? do you beleive in a God? bearing in mind the Universe is a fact: we can actually see it.

Has the Universe been created out of nothing? if so how? there are and have been on this Earth, better brains than yours who have beleived in a God, so don't think you know all the answers, because it would be a very arrogant, indifferent man who did.
Why is it that you think if it’s unlikely for the universe to come from nothing but that it’s likely that a supernatural being willing and able to make the universe could just come from nothing?