Homemade Slug Beer Trap (Snails or Pillbugs)

A can of beer is being poured into a cat food can that is nestled into the soil of a garden bed. Various types of chard plants are growing in the soil.

Homemade Slug Beer Trap (Snails or Pillbugs)

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. They really do work!

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Prep Time 5

Equipment

wide shallow container (examples: cat food or tuna cans, tupperware container, plastic cup, cottage cheese or yogurt container, aluminum pie pan)

Ingredients

beer (light yeasty beer preferred, such as lager, pilsner, or blonde ales)
or sourdough starter (mixed with water)

Instructions

Choose a location with snail, slug or pillbug activity. Put the trap in the shade under plants if possible.
Partially bury the trap container, so the rim is about level with (or just above) the surrounding soil level.
Fill the container with 1-3 inches of beer, or about 1/3 to 1/2 full (depending on depth of the container) but not completely full. OR, mix a large spoonful of sourdough starter with water to use instead of beer.
Beer traps will only draw in slugs, snails and pill bugs that are fairly close by (within 3 feet) so make several beer traps throughout the garden as needed.
Dump the slug beer trap contents, rinse, and refresh the container with fresh beer every couple of days. (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.)

Keyword beer trap pill bugs, garden beer trap, slug beer trap, snail beer trap

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