Chewy, But Edible
SA4x4|March 2020
Take another look at those garden pests
Paul Donovan
Chewy, But Edible

The French eat them in great numbers but few other people are quite as adventurous. What am I talking about eating? Snails, of course.

I have written a few articles extolling the virtues of bush tucker because it’s plentiful and easy to find. But not everyone may be motivated enough to eat crickets, locusts, and other creepy crawlies. However, slugs and snails are a bit different, because they more resemble limpets or whelks. So if you have a liking for seafood, you won’t find them too unpalatable.

Slugs (which are essentially snails without their shells) and snails are a rich source of nutrients, for they are high in both protein and minerals. Also, because they are easy to source (in most locations) and prepare, they make one of the best survival foods.

Slugs

I am sure the gardeners amongst us will be familiar with this creature. These ‘homeless’ gastropods, typified by their black rubberlike bodies covered in a mucous coating, live mainly in the soil and wreak havoc in gardens. Their mouth has a rasp-like radula (tongue) and chitinised jaw, which they use to munch through succulent green plants. Slugs will also eat carrion and fungi.

Although generally regarded as being shell-less, many slug species do have a reduced internal shell. One such species is the earthworm-eating slug of the family Testacellidae. The two remaining slug groups are called Roundbacks and Keeled slugs.

Roundbacks, such as the common garden slug, have dome-shaped bodies, while Keeled slugs have a keel, or ridge running along their back. The Keeled slugs are the larger members, reaching anywhere up to 20-23cm in length.

Denne historien er fra March 2020-utgaven av SA4x4.

Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.

Denne historien er fra March 2020-utgaven av SA4x4.

Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.

FLERE HISTORIER FRA SA4X4Se alt
SA4x4

Uganda The Pearl Of Africa

This trip, the very last in the series of stories from Dan Grec’s two-year Africa round trip, details a scary mishap and some extraordinary wildlife encounters

time-read
10+ mins  |
March 2020
Chewy, But Edible
SA4x4

Chewy, But Edible

Take another look at those garden pests

time-read
4 mins  |
March 2020
Auto Perfection?
SA4x4

Auto Perfection?

Adding a six-speed auto to Mahindra’s workhorse ups the game for this value proposition

time-read
3 mins  |
March 2020
SA4x4

Defenders On Tour

The second 2019 Defender Trophy event kicked off in Limpopo and was unique in that participants camped in three different countries…

time-read
9 mins  |
March 2020
SA4x4

Rad Rig The Dream Catcher

Motorhome world’s one-of-a-kind luxury globetrotter

time-read
4 mins  |
March 2020
The Difference Between An Overlander And An Offroader
SA4x4

The Difference Between An Overlander And An Offroader

A very important distinction needs to be made between the offroader and the overland traveller; often the two are thought to be the same.

time-read
5 mins  |
March 2020
Steelmate TP-S9
SA4x4

Steelmate TP-S9

Solar powered TPMS (External sensor)

time-read
3 mins  |
March 2020
SA4x4

Light on the dark side

VW AMAROK DARK LABEL

time-read
4 mins  |
March 2020
Monkey business!
SA4x4

Monkey business!

Vervet Monkeys (Chlorocebus pygerythrus) are the most widespread of the African monkeys; occurring from the Ethiopian Rift Valley, highlands east of the Rift, and southern Somalia, through the eastern lowlands of Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia (east of the Luangwa Valley), Malawi, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Botswana, and all nine provinces in South Africa.

time-read
3 mins  |
March 2020
SA4x4

GREAT ZOOKS

There are a few mishaps as a bunch of Jimnys tackle one of Lesotho’s premier off-road challenges, Baboon’s Pass

time-read
10 mins  |
March 2020