Slugfest: Trying to catch slugs with beer
Like many folks who have shady, moist yards, I have slugs.
Like many guys who drink beer, I have a supply of brews that "seemed like a good idea at the time."
These beers, in other words, are leftovers.
So following the advice of many garden gurus, including Michael Pollan, I recently tried to eliminate slugs by serving them my leftover beer.
Now each morning I go out in the backyard and check my "beer traps." So far, results are dismal.
No slug has sampled the Stoudt's Oktoberfest, a once prize-winning brew that I snagged on sale after it had been sitting for months in a warehouse. Once I tasted it, I knew why it was on sale.
Nary a slug has taken a dipped in the Cranberry Wit, one of offerings made by home brewers that Samuel Adams has packaged in its LongShot series.
The failure to lure any slugs may not be the fault of the beers. According to slug experts at the University of Illinois, the beer traps should be no more than a quarter-inch off the ground. I had mine in bowls that sit about 2 inches off the ground.
In other words, my slugs could not belly up to bar.
I will change my serving style, I guess, and see how the ground-level approach works. I'll keep you posted.
Anybody had experience serving beer to slugs? What are the tricks?
Photo: stockxchnge.com
Comments
I use a chipped dinner plater for the task of dispatching slugs.
I nestle it into the ground so the slugs can easily slime their way into it.
Always seems to work. The nasty part is empty their carcasses out of there with regularity. Nothing like sloshing flat, warm beer with slug remains in it all over your hands.
Posted by: bryanintimonium | May 28, 2009 1:07 PM
Slugs are not known for their sophisticated pallets. An informal test conducted a few years ago indicated that Bud was their favorite, followed by Miller. Not making this up. A solution to the disposal problem is to pour salt on the remains. They dissolve. Replenish the beer althouh I'm not sure dissolved slugs do any harm to the flavor.
Posted by: robin fowler | May 28, 2009 2:50 PM
There is a product called Slug-GO that is supposed to off the slugs, then fertilize the garden if anything remains.
Posted by: Dahlink | May 28, 2009 5:00 PM
Seems like a good use for your left over Iron City.
Posted by: Rusty | May 29, 2009 6:32 AM
I recently purchased Slug-Go after getting tired of seeing slugs the size of Anacondas in my driveway. It is little pellets that you spread in your garden area. I came back the next day to wonderful scene of "Slug Caucases" everywhere. Slug- Go works.
Posted by: Anonymous | May 29, 2009 10:17 AM
We used to do this when I was a kid, and my parents used metal paint trays, the kind you use with paint rollers. The slugs can get in easily, have a sip or two, and drown. For me, age 7, this was hilarious.
Posted by: Orr | May 29, 2009 1:51 PM
I am not sure if Anonymous is a poor speller or if he is making light of years of ongoing ethnic conflict in the Caucasus Region.
Posted by: bryanintimonium | May 31, 2009 9:20 AM