DIY Slug Beer Trap

Use a beer trap to capture garden slugs.

A do-it-yourself slug trap rigged with beer is a simple and effective way of dealing with nuisance slugs in your garden. They are both easy and inexpensive to make. Slugs are nasty garden pests that can quickly strip the green leaves of tender young plants. Some plants are more susceptible to slugs than others so it may be worth more carefully considering your garden planting strategy if you find you are badly affected.

Things You'll Need

• Glass jar or smooth-sided plastic container
• Beer
• Roof slate or tile
• Small stone, approximately 2 inches in diameter

Instructions

1. Select a suitable glass jar such as a jelly jar or smooth plastic container like a large yogurt pot. Clean the container thoroughly in warm, soapy water to remove all food residue.

2. Bury the container in your garden so that the lip is about a 1/2 inch above ground level. Slugs will still be able to find their way in but other more beneficial garden bugs will not. Slugs like to shelter in damp, shady spots so look for places in your garden that you think may be a haven for them and bury your trap nearby.

3. Half fill the container with beer and cover it with the slate or tile, propped up at one side with a small stone, to prevent rain seeping in. The slugs will be attracted by the yeasty smell and will fall in and drown.

4. Empty the beer trap every other day and refill it with fresh beer.

References

• Slug Off: How to Make a Slug Beer Trap
• Living With Bugs: Beer and Bran-based Slug Baits
• Gardening Guru: Slug Traps, Death by Beer