New light on slugs

A nearby garden that opens to the public offered an ultraviolet light walk to see how biofluorescence and bioluminescence  alters our vision of plants, insects and other living things.

At 9.30pm a small group of intrigued folk gathered in dusky drizzle to be instructed in what we might see and how to use our UV torches plus red headlamps to increase the contrast. The young man who arranged the tour was very knowledgeable and passionate about the process, explaining the difference between bioluminescence and biofluorescence, the latter being what we would be looking at.
See here.

We found that lichen shows up extraordinarily brightly in UV light and that slugs and snails look blue. The stunning flowers, leaves and stalks of the daylight garden took on whole new aspect as we blundered around the dark damp paths oohing and aahing over our discoveries.

Unfortunately I missed the hedgehog but those who spotted it said it showed up pink and blue.

See more in a gallery of temporary extras.
As it happens I already have a UV torch on order so more may follow.