What is This Massive ‘Thing’ Crawling Around Poughkeepsie?

I'm not sure what the heck I found crawling on the stairs to my deck this weekend in Poughkeepsie, NY.

Folks who live in the Hudson Valley (like me) are well aware that we live in part of New York that is full of various "things" that live outside. We have deer, raccoons, bears, skunks, gophers, the list of animals goes on and on.

We are also home to a wide variety of insects, which all range in size. I'm used to seeing moths, bees, wasps, large spiders, and much more, but what I'm not used to seeing is what I found crawling up the stairs to my deck over the weekend.

What is This "Thing" Found in Poughkeepsie, NY

As you can see in the picture below, I came across a huge a*% something that was slowly making its way up the stairs of my deck, real close to the back door of my house. At first glance, I thought one of my dogs took care of their "business" on the stairs, but then realized that the friggin' thing was MOVING!

Unsure what to do, I snapped a picture of it and went online to try to figure out how I should handle it and if it was dangerous or not.

Massive "Thing" Identified

After a little research, I discovered that it's something called a "limax maximus", or more commonly known as the "great grey slug" and "leopard slug". According to Wikipedia, it's one of the largest in the slug family and can stretch out anywhere from 4 to 8 inches or more.

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They are native to Europe, but over time have become common across the world, including the United States.

Are They Dangerous?

According to multiple sources, they are non-toxic and NOT harmful to humans, BUT they do carry a lungworm parasite that can be dangerous for pets that aren't protected against it.

If you do come across something like this in your yard, some experts say that they are good for the garden. They also say if you decide to kill it, be prepared to clean up a VERY sticky mess.