The Natural Slug Trap That Doesn't Call For A Drop Of Beer

There's nothing worse than going out to your yard and seeing your lovely new seedlings decimated by hoards of hungry slugs overnight. These garden pests have voracious appetites and will happily munch away on all your tender young plants while you're sleeping — it's enough to bring even the most seasoned gardeners to tears. While there are numerous methods that have been used quite successfully for centuries to keep these plant-munching nuisances away, beer traps have always been popular. But, what if you don't drink ale and don't want to buy it just for the slugs? Thankfully, there's another natural slug trap that you can make which doesn't call for even a single drop of beer.

Apart from the fresh growth of your favorite plants, pests such as snails and slugs are attracted to anything that's fermenting in your yard. This is why beer traps are the easy way to keep slugs out of your garden. They're quite successful in tempting these slimy creatures to taste the amber liquid. When placed in homemade lures, the slugs will end up in the fermented brew and can't escape, so they drown. Interestingly, filling the trap with sugar and yeast water can have the same result. After all, beer is made with yeast, so it makes sense that this common pantry staple would be tempting to the slugs. In fact, you can even banish mosquitoes from your yard using this handy baking ingredient and mixing it with sugar, which means it can have multiple uses in the garden. 

The first thing you'll need is a container for the fermenting solution. It's best to use one that has straight sides and is deep enough so that the slugs can't easily crawl out. It also helps to have a top for the dish, with holes big enough for the pests to crawl into. Some good options are margarine or yogurt containers, empty coffee cans, or even plastic bottles. Once you've selected a suitable receptacle for your snare, make up a liquid by mixing a teaspoon of yeast and sugar into a cup of water. Stir well to ensure that the dry ingredients are dissolved. Using warm water will help.

Pour this mixture into your tub, then it's time to position your trap. Keep in mind that any lure that contains a slug-attracting liquid only has the capacity to tempt the slugs that are just a few feet away. This means that you might want to create several of these traps to protect all of your treasured plants. You also want to bury the lures so that the top is level with the ground. Now all that's left for you do is check the traps daily and dispose of the dead slugs before refilling the containers with more of the sweet solution. For even more control, you might want to combine this clever method with other natural ways to keep slugs off your precious flowers and young vegetables.