No, said Aziraphale, it's ineffable.

mountrainiernps

With all the amazing scenery found in Mount Rainier National Park, it’s easy to find yourself entranced. You’re just rolling along, taking in all the majesty and don’t even notice what’s right under your nose.

Or your feet.

Most folks never notice the lowly banana slug, Ariolimax columbianus. After all, it lives in the forests of the Pacific Northwest scouring the ground for any leaves, fungus, even animal droppings, that they can devour. This makes them great at helping to decompose plant material. It doesn’t make them speedy. As a slug, they are pretty slow moving animals which means it’s very easy to take their picture.

Take lots of pictures and you’ll see that banana slugs come in many colors. Yep, they’re yellow (like bananas), but they’re also green, or brown or white. Some have brown spots, and some don’t. Their color changes according to their diet and moisture in the environment. Banana slugs do like a home with quite a bit of moisture.

So, next time you’re in the park, enjoying the old-growth forests at the lower elevations, remember to look down. Maybe you’ll spot a banana slug. Also, please remember, to only take pictures. Thanks. ~ams

NPS/M. Gorman photo (top). Green banana slug on the forest floor with needles and moss. October, 2014. NPS photo (middle top). Yellow banana slug with brown spots on tree branch. NPS/MG photo (middle bottom). White banana slug on forest floor with leaves and tree bark. NPS/NAB photo (bottom). Green banana slug with brown spots on forest floor with fern. August, 1968.

See, that’s what the app is perfect for.