Another trap for slugs can be made by placing a hollowed-out fruit rind (such as a cantaloupe or grapefruit) on the ground upside down. The slugs will naturally congregate towards the decomposing rind and seek shelter underneath from the sunshine. After a day or two, dispose of the slug-infested rind in the garbage along with the slugs.
Full Answer
How do you trap a slug?
The bait for the trap is BEER. Slugs can't resist it and will slime their way into it, drink, and eventually asphyxiate (but what a way to go!). Put the traps down, push them into the soil a bit and bait them with beer. Don't worry about slugs not getting up the side - they are born with commando training and will find their way anywhere.
What is a beer-baited slug trap?
This is a beer-baited slug trap made from two empty drinking water bottles. It introduces no harmful chemicals into the garden and does not harm the local wildlife (apart from the slugs). It also re-purposes items which would normally have been thrown away.
Does the snail trap really work?
The trap provides a mechanism that is supposed to let snails in but not out. I tested the trap to find out if it really works. The test showed that the trap works better than expected. Although some slugs and snails may find their way out, most of them are trapped successfully.
How to trap slugs and snails in a bottle?
Now invert the top half / cone of the bottle in to the bottle base so that the tapered part of the bottle is pointing down. This provides a lip to prevent the slugs and snails from slithering back out of the trap. Add alcohol to the trap, either cheep cider, beer or left over wine will suffice.
How do you permanently get rid of slugs?
How to get rid of slugs:Get plants on side. ... Remove, shelter & encourage beneficial wildlife. ... Make a beer trap. ... Create a prickly barrier. ... Create a slippery barrier. ... Lay down copper tape. ... Place a lure. ... Apply nematodes to soil.More items...•
How do you catch a live slug?
0:492:042 Min. Tip: How to Make a Cheap Waterproof Slug Trap (DIY Slug Trap)YouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipAll you need is a plastic container with a lid just cut slits around the side of the container. LikeMoreAll you need is a plastic container with a lid just cut slits around the side of the container. Like this make sure to keep the bottom of the slits an equal distance from the bottom of the container.
What can you put in a slug trap instead of beer?
Cucumber slices, soaked oatmeal, and porridge are good baits, too. Melon or orange peel with some fruit leftovers inside also attract slugs. In general, you could observe what preferences your slugs and snails have. If you use several traps in your garden, it is easy to study how attractive different baits are.
Where do slugs go during the day?
Slugs and snails hide in damp places during the day. They stay under logs and stones or under ground cover. They also hide under planters and low decks. At night they come out to eat.
What happens if a slug touches you?
What Happens if a Slug Gets on You? There may be times when you are working in your garden or outside, and you encounter a slug. Naturally, if a slimy pest gets on you, you will freak out. Slugs carry diseases and parasites; however, they are not dangerous or poisonous to humans.
Is it cruel to pour salt on a slug?
Salt: A Cruel Death If you sprinkle slugs and snails with salt, it will bind their body fluids and their bodies will dissolve slowly. This is perhaps the most unpleasant way to kill them.
What do slugs hate most?
Slugs dislike plants with heavily fragranced foliage, like many common herbs. They also dislike plants with fuzzy or furry foliage. Slugs are a favorite food of many different predators. Encourage birds, snakes, lizards, toads, frogs, ground beetles, and other natural predators to make a home in your garden.
What does vaseline do to slugs?
Petroleum jelly can be a good way to protect potted plants from slug damage. The slippery texture of petroleum jelly makes it difficult for a slug to grip onto a surface. How it works: Apply this jelly in a band around the rim of your flower pots, containers, and even the stalks of your plants using petroleum jelly.
What does soapy water do to slugs?
Handpicking is most effective if done after dark with a flashlight. Placing slugs in a jar with soapy water will kill them, the Extension reports.
Do slugs serve any good purpose?
Slugs and snails are very important. They provide food for all sorts of mammals, birds, slow worms, earthworms, insects and they are part of the natural balance. Upset that balance by removing them and we can do a lot of harm. Thrushes in particular thrive on them!
What months are slugs active?
"Slugs can stay active all year round, unlike snails which go dormant in winter," Hayley Jones, entomologist at the RHS reminds Countryliving.co.uk. "They are cold blooded, so need a certain temperature to function.
What month do slugs come out?
Slugs remain active throughout the year, unlike snails, which are dormant during autumn and winter. Warmer weather, combined with damp conditions greatly increases their activity. Slugs are most active after dark or in wet weather.
What happens if you put a slug in salt water?
Rather than by a complex chemical reaction, salt acts as a snail and slug's kryptonite by dehydrating its slimy exterior. “Salt essentially draws the water out of their skin – an osmosis effect – and they die within minutes of dehydration,” says Dr Gordon Port, senior lecturer at Newcastle University.
Can you keep a wild slug as a pet?
If you are looking for an unusual pet, a slug is a great choice. Slugs are easy to care for and they are good for both older and younger kids. This helps your kids gain responsibility. You can keep a slug in an aquarium.
What happens to a slug when it touches salt?
THE SLUG has a moist skin, so when you sprinkle salt on to it a strong brine quickly forms. The process of osmosis then begins, by which water is drawn from a weak solution (in this case the body fluid of the slug) into a stronger one. Result: the slug dies a lingering death by dehydration.
Can a slug survive in water?
Slugs can withstand brief periods of immersion under water, although they drown after several hours.
How to keep snails from escaping from a bottle?
The idea is to afford the largest snails to enter but leaving enough of the tapered end / neck of the bottle to prevent the slugs and snails from escaping. Cut the top of the bottle neck off with a sharp blade and scissors and clean up any jagged uneven edges with the scissors.
What to put in a slug trap?
Add alcohol to the trap, either cheep cider, beer or left over wine will suffice. The scent will attract the slugs and the alcohol will kill them.
What do you need to cut a plastic bottle?
You will need some plastic bottles (the ones we throw away) A Stanley knife or other sharp blade for cutting the bottle, a felt tip pen, a pair of scissors and a bottle of cheap beer or cider , or if you have some old or unpleasant wine this will do too.
How to keep insects from falling in trap?
Bury your trap in soil preferably so that the opening is above the soil to prevent insects from falling in.
Where is slug poison found?
Slug poison found in 1 in 8 of England's drinking water sources!
Who is the originator of the IBT?
About: Lateral thinker, Originator of Inclined Bed Therapy (IBT) Originator of Pocket Full Of Acorns Project. Originator of Operation OASIS. More About AndrewKFletcher »
How many water bottles do you need to make a trap?
You will need two water bottles for each trap. Use the ones with the base moulded into 4 sections (see picture). You could use the 5 but they would be trickier to cut and merge. The tools you need are stapler, marker pen, measure, scissors. Also, you'll be needing BEER for bait . . . see later.
What color is beer?
Beer is anything from the lightest golden brown, through amber (possibly with a reddish tinge) to dark, dark, dark brown, and when a sip is taken it should overwhelm the senses with the aroma of hops and malt. It should conjure up visions of drying sheds, malt shovelling and barley fields rippling in the summer breeze.
What is a slug trap made of?
By AndyGadget. More by the author: This is a beer-baited slug trap made from two empty drinking water bottles. It introduces no harmful chemicals into the garden and does not harm the local wildlife (apart from the slugs). It also re-purposes items which would normally have been thrown away. Using green bottles makes it merge well into the foliage.
How to mark identical bottles?
If your bottles are identical you don't even need to mark - just follow the label around. Draw down to the ridge around the indentations about 1" (25mm) up from the base. Do this in the 4 places. Cut around the bottle, and then down to the bottom ridge.
Can slugs resist slime?
Slugs can't resist it and will slime their way into it, drink, and eventually asphyxiate (but what a way to go!). Put the traps down, push them into the soil a bit and bait them with beer. Don't worry about slugs not getting up the side - they are born with commando training and will find their way anywhere.
Is beer a thin insipid drink?
Beer is not a thin insipid beverage which looks roughly the same leaving the body as it did when it entered it. Some breweries have a problem realising this. It seems the darker the brew, the more the slugs appreciate it. It's probably the malt which attracts them.
How to make slug traps?
Mix the following ingredients and use in place of beer when making beer traps for slugs: 1 tablespoon (15 ml.) yeast. 1 tablespoon (15 ml.) flour. 1 tablespoon (15 ml.) sugar. 1 cup (237 ml.) water. Garden plants and flowers are most vulnerable to slug attacks when they are young and tender.
How to get rid of slugs in garden?
Concentrate the containers in areas of the garden where slug problems are the greatest. Pour 2 to 3 inches (5 to 7.6 cm.) of beer or beer substitute into each container. Place the lids on the containers. Check the traps regularly. Add beer or beer substitute as needed. Remove dead slugs regularly.
What to use to trap slugs?
Gather up several inexpensive plastic containers, preferably with lids. Recycled yogurt containers or margarine tubs are an appropriate size for making beer traps for slugs.
How to keep slugs out of plastic containers?
Cut a few holes near the top of the plastic container. The slugs will use these holes to access the trap. Bury the containers in the ground with about 1 inch (2.5 cm.) remaining above the soil line. Keeping the containers slightly above the soil level helps prevent beneficial insects from falling into the traps.
What are the signs of a plant clipping off?
There may have also been a young plant clipped off at the stem. The tell-tale signs are there – silvery mucus slime trails. You know the culprits are slugs. These slimy members of the mollusk phylum like moist soil and warm temperatures. They generally feed at night and target young seedlings. During the day, slugs like to hide under mulches ...
Does beer trap slugs?
Many gardeners swear using beer as a slug trap is one home remedy that really does work . Slugs are attracted to the yeasty odors found in beer. In fact, they love it so much they crawl into containers with beer and drown. For gardeners who’d rather share their favorite craft brew with friends, not foe, never fear.
Can you make beer traps for slugs?
Making beer traps for slugs is an easy DIY project, but there are some limitations to using them. These traps only attract slugs within a limited range, so traps need to be placed approximately every square yard (meter). Additionally, the beer or yeast solution evaporates and needs replenished every few days. Rainwater can also dilute the solution, thereby reducing its effectiveness.
How to get rid of slugs in my garden?
Liz said: “Make a cornmeal trap. Put a tablespoon or two of cornmeal in a jar and lay it on its side wherever there is slug activity. The slugs will be attracted to the scent, but the texture of the meal is too harsh and will kill them. Leave the jar out overnight or for several hours; when you spot the slugs in the jar, you can dispose of them permanently to remove them from your garden.”
What to put on plants to keep slugs away?
Oliver: If you do not want a bunch of dead slugs in your garden I put crushed eggshells at the base of my plants. The eggshells act as razors to the slugs.
How to get rid of slugs in a flower pot?
Jewel said: “Put out a flower pot dish with high sides and fill with beer. Put it where you see the most slugs and wait. Slugs love the smell of beer and will fall in and drowned…maybe they get drunk on the smell, fall in and drowned, don’t know. A slug will almost literally melt if sprinkled with salt.”
What to do if you have slugs around hostas?
Karen said: “If you have slugs around your hostas plants, put sand around them and they wont bother them.”
How to save eggshells for plants?
Jill said: “Save your eggshells. Rinse them, then crush them and sprinkle around the plant base. They’re good for the soil, and it slices those little buggers right up!”
What does Doni say about slugs?
Doni said: “Plant some plants in your garden or flower bed that do not attract slugs. There are lots of flowers and bulbs that do not attract slugs and bugs.”
What did Marlena say about coffee grounds?
Marlena said: “I throw my used coffee grounds in the flowerbed. I cant see them, it helps the plants, and the best part…..slugs hate the grainy feeling! Win Win!”
