How to Use Beer to Get Rid of Pests
Although there is a wide range of chemical-based pesticides to choose from in your local DIY store, applied too heavily these will damage your home and garden, or even pose a risk to surrounding wildlife. Applying pesticides too sparsely won’t have the desired effect, so it’s best to leave pesticide use to the professionals, who will use them in the most appropriate way.
As many people become increasingly aware of their surrounding environment and the damage they may be imposing on it, you might be looking for more carbon-neutral methods of pest repellents. Using leftover flat beer for a natural pest repellent can help to save money and resources, which will, in turn, lessen your impact on the environment.
Beer has many uses other than drinking, it can be used to tenderise meat, revive wooden furniture and lighten your hair. But a lesser-known way to utilise the properties of beer is to get rid of slugs. Pesticides, when used incorrectly, can often be extremely poisonous, as they are designed to kill pests – so they’re often not safe to have around areas where kids and pets will play. We recommend using a professional pest control service, but if you’re looking for a natural pest repellent, beer is a safer option for those who have kids or pets, it is a more environmentally friendly method too.
How to make slug traps with beer
Using beer to repel pests is easy, so if you’d like to know how to make slug traps with beer simply follow these few steps:
Dig a hole roughly the same size as the beer can you’ll be using, do this in an area where the pests are predominantly originating from. If you have an extensive infestation, you may need to dig a few more holes.
Empty the beer can around two-thirds of the way down, and place the beer cans in the holes you have created.
Use soil to cover the edges of the beer can, but don’t cover the entire surface as the hole will serve as the bait for pests to fall into.
The cans will probably need replacing every 1-3 days, depending on the level of infestation.
When watering the surrounding plants, be careful not to get water into the beer cans as this will dilute the liquid, making it less enticing to the pests.
This method is applicable to getting rid of slugs, cockroaches, fruit flies and earwigs. Simply place the beer cans near any place that is populated heavily by the pests and they’ll soon be attracted to the beer repellent.
Why are pests attracted to beer?
The beer will generally attract slugs, earwigs, moths, fruit flies and cockroaches. Beer is made from water, hops, barley and yeast, which is then fermented to create sugars and alcohol. The sugar and the smell of the beer attracts all kinds of pests, as sugar indicates a high nutritional value to many pests and insects, so they will try to drink it.
Unfortunately, beer doesn’t sit well for many animals, so they either end up getting trapped in the beer can as they decide too late the beer isn’t good for them.
If you need a fully comprehensive pest control service in either a domestic or commercial property, then look no further. We use environmentally friendly methods to clear your property of the issue and install preventative measures to ensure it doesn’t reoccur. For more information on our services, please get in touch with a member of our team today.
