Homemade Beer Traps for Slugs, Snails, Pillbugs and More

Got slugs? Come learn how to make DIY beer traps to attract and kill slugs, snails, pill bugs and more. Homemade beer traps are a cheap, easy, and effective way to control slug populations in the garden when necessary.

As an organic gardener, I’m never on a mission to outright eradicate anything. Nor should a garden be “perfect”, free of pests or occasional plant damage! Yet slugs and snails can cause a lot of damage if left unchecked. So to avoid the use of chemical slug bait, I like to set up a few slug beer traps instead – and they work like a charm!

Disclosure: Homestead and Chill is reader-supported. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.

Why do slugs like beer? How do beer traps work? 

Because slugs like to party! Just kidding. Slugs are attracted to beer primarily because of the sweet, fermented yeasty aroma. That said, other forms of fermented yeast may attract slugs too, including watered-down sourdough starter. (Yes, I tried it, and it works quite well!)

Beer traps work by luring in slugs, and as they enter and drink the beer, they become intoxicated, can’t get back out, and drown. 

What other pests are attracted to beer traps?

In addition to slugs, beer traps attract a number of other garden pests including pill bugs (rollie pollies), snails, earwigs (pincher bugs), and cutworms. I often find a variety of insects in our beer traps – but thankfully never any bees, ladybugs, lacewings, or other “good guys”.

Larger critters may also be attracted to the beer. On occasion, my beer traps have been relocated and licked clean (including the slugs being eaten) by what I suspect is a raccoon or maybe an opossum. 

What’s the best beer for slug traps?

Slugs and snails are not too picky about their beer. Any beer can work in a trap, though slugs seem especially drawn to light, yeasty beers like lagers, pilsners, hefeweizen, or blonde ales. Plus, slugs are a cheap date – no need to give them your premium brews!

Choosing a Container

You can make a slug beer trap out of any kind of upcycled container – as long as it has a wide opening and can hold a couple inches of beer inside. Most gardeners use wide shallow containers, though I’ve seen some beer traps that are more narrow and deep too (like a water bottle).  

I usually save and rinse out cat food cans. Dog food cans or tuna cans work great too! Other ideas include plastic food storage (tupperware) containers, aluminum pie pans, used cottage cheese, yogurt, margarine, or sour cream tubs, cut water bottles, plastic cups, or similar. I’m sure you already have something on hand that will work.

How to Make a Slug Beer Trap

1. You may want to partially bury the beer trap so the top rim of the container is about level with the surrounding soil – especially if your container is tall or has a curved rim. That way, slugs or pillbugs can crawl and fall right in the top. (This is especially important if your goal is to trap pillbugs.) However, I’ve found that I can also set a cat food can right on top of soil or gravel, and slugs easily crawl up the short straight sides and into the trap. 
   
   
2. Fill the trap about one-third to half full with beer, depending on the size of the container. Add at least an inch of beer in the bottom of the trap (up to 2 or 3 inches for larger containers) but don’t fill it all the way up – that makes it too easy for the slugs to crawl back out.
   
   
3. Tuck the beer trap in the shade under slug-prone plants like lettuce, strawberries, or other areas with a lot of slug activity. Hint: look for shiny slug trails and place the traps nearby!
   
   
4. For the best results, dump the slug beer trap contents, rinse, and refresh the container with fresh beer every couple of days. Warning: I’ve found the traps get pretty stinky after a few days. Also keep in mind the beer will evaporate more quickly in hot conditions, so you’ll want to make the beer a tad deeper initially or refresh it more often.

PRO TIP: I’ve found that beer traps typically only attract slugs or other pests within the immediate vicinity, or about 3 feet away. Therefore, you may need to use several traps throughout the garden or a couple per garden bed. 

How to Use Sourdough Starter in a Slug Trap

To use sourdough starter to catch slugs, I simply mixed a spoonful of starter discard with some water, added it to the trap container in a similar manner as the beer, and I caught about a dozen slugs within 24 hours. Honestly, I think it may work even better than beer! (Later, I saw this study that also confirms fermented dough is highly attractive to slugs and snails.)

A Note About Pillbugs

Pill bugs or rollie pollies are not usually bad in the garden. They primarily eat decaying matter, which actually helps improve organic matter and nutrient cycling in the soil. However, if there is a robust enough population of pill bugs and not enough other food sources, they can quickly become pests and turn to eating garden plants.

Pill bugs are especially attracted to ripe fruit, tender new seedlings and sprouts, so I often use beer traps to protect my seedlings from rollie pollies too.

And that’s how to make beer traps for slugs, pill bugs, and more.

Well folks, I hope this tip helps you control pests and minimize plant damage in your garden. If needed, you can also browse 9 organic ways to control slugs and snails here. Please consider sharing this post of leave a rating below if you found it useful! Now go crack open a brew and pour one out for the slug homies. Cheers!

Don’t miss these related organic pest control articles:

• 8 Organic Ways to Get Rid of Cabbage Worms & Moths
• Organic Aphid Control: 9 Ways to Kill or Get Rid of Aphids
• Homemade Pest Insect Soap Spray Recipe
• How to Use Hoops & Row Covers for Pest Control, Shade & Frost Protection
• How to Properly Mix, Emulsify & Use Neem Oil in the Garden
• Companion Planting 101 + Printable Companion Planting Chart