Birchbank Slugpocalypse

What do you see when you're on the trails? The above tranquil photo of Upper White Hills Brook along Birchbank Trail in Shelton is actually pretty dramatic if you're a slug. Look closely at the lower left corner of the photo. Can't see it? Look at the photo below for a close up.

We were in a drought, and then it rained, and a bunch of slugs were trapped on a shrinking island that eventually went under water. Dozens of dead slugs were laying in a pile under the water. Here we have some of the survivors, one riding on a leaf raft that moved across the water in lazy circles, and in the distance you can see a slug swarm clinging to a stick.

Slug Raft

Clinging to a stick

Most didn't make it. But a few were still moving under the water.

I'm not a fan of slugs, so I admit to a certain twisted snickering when I saw this. At any rate, it's another example of what you might see if you pause to really look at nature. There is drama everywhere as plants and animals struggle to survive.