Where Banana Slugs Roam

Before we get into where banana slugs roam, let’s talk a little about these slimy creatures. Believe it or not, the banana slug is named for its resemblance to a banana. It can grow to nearly 10 inches in length and weigh over four ounces. It’s also one of the slowest creatures on Earth, moving at a maximum speed of about 6.5 inches per minute. We actually have a video of one breaking the (banana slug) land-speed record at 8.2 inches per minute!

Not all banana slugs are bright yellow. Some can be green, brown and even spotted.  Their color depends on their age and environment. The slime covering the banana slugs contains chemicals that numb the tongue and throat of anything that may want to take a bite. About the only animals that do eat it are salamanders, raccoons, ducks and snakes.

The slime also is both a lubricant and an adhesive – helping it to climb trees and move along the ground. That big hole shown, seen in the picture above, is used to breath (kind of like a whale’s blowhole, only a lot smaller).

Where Banana Slugs Roam

The little slugsters actually live among some of the largest living things on the planet – the giant redwoods of Central California. You can also find them in the Pacific Northwest and even Alaska.

The best places to spot one are in blackberry bushes, skunk cabbage, redwood tree nooks, around fallen logs and in low weeds.

Here’s a list of some California parks and campgrounds where you might see a banana slug:

Big Basin Redwoods State Park

Butano State Park

Hendy Woods State Park

Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park

Humboldt Redwoods State Park 

Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park

Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park

Memorial Park

Mt. Madonna County Park

Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park

Portola Redwoods State Park

Redwood National and State Parks

Samuel P. Taylor State Park

Small populations of banana slugs are also found along creeks and damp areas of the western slopes of the Sierra Nevada to the north of Yosemite National Park.