Beer trap
A beer trap is a mechanical method of fighting snails in the home and garden .
Building a beer trap
The structure is simple. Mugs are buried that are about half full with beer. To protect insects and spiders, the edge should not be buried at ground level, but should protrude one to two centimeters. Generally, the trap is roofed to prevent the beer from overflowing and watering down when it rains . The smell of beer strongly attracts the snails, they get trapped and drown .
Beer traps need to be serviced. The type of beer and alcohol content have no effect on the function of the trap.
Benefits of the beer trap
It can be used to combat snails directly and inexpensively. For other animals there is no risk and it is a simple proof of the snail population .
Cons of the beer trap
It also attracts snails from far away, which can cause damage on their way to the trap and lay eggs. That is why it is mainly used in spring when the food supply for the snails is still low. If used in good time, the occurrence of a snail plague later in summer can be prevented because animals that have already been caught no longer produce offspring. Used for the first time in summer, beer traps can cause a larger accumulation of snails. They attract the animals. The beer also has an attractive effect on largely harmless snail species such as. As the under nature conservation standing Snail and other housing snails. Furthermore, the efficiency of this method is limited, since only about a third of the snail population actually gets into the beer trap and dies there. A complete removal of snails is not possible with this.
Hedgehogs who also drink from the traps and then eat the snails that have been killed in this way get "drunk" or get alcohol poisoning.
Alternatives
- For alternatives to slug control see