They are a constant problem in every garden up and down the country and each year gardeners begin to battle slugs and snails all over again.
But there is one gardening hack which many swear by to lure in and kill slugs and it uses a common item found in most kitchens.
Beer, or lager, is a surefire way to trap and kill slugs and keep them off your garden, according to garden experts at GardenBuildingsDirect.
Although slugs are not as common in February, when the weather starts to warm up this spring, slugs, snails and all manner of unwelcome molluscs will begin to make their way out of hibernation and start chewing away on our flowers, fruit and veg.
Slugs are attracted to beer thanks to its yeasty aroma, and it is one common household item that experts at GardenBuildingsDirect.co.uk have said can be put to unusual uses in the garden.
Whether it be lager or bitter, slugs are drawn in by the aroma, ultimately causing them to drown.
A spokesperson for GardenBuildingsDirect.co.uk said: “Our advice to anyone blighted by slugs is to simply offer them a beer.
“If you’ve been having issues with them eating your plants, placing a few shallow dishes around the garden will help draw them in.”
But there are some garden experts who argue that beer actually makes the problem worse.
Indeed, Laidback Gardener says that because beer attracts slugs, it can actually end up drawing more slugs into your garden and making the problem worse.
As a result, the best way to use a beer trap to remove slugs in your garden would arguably be to set one up in your neighbour’s garden – although obviously your neighbour is not likely to agree to the idea.
They said: “The odour of malt attracts slugs from afar and therefore actually increases the population of slugs nearby.
“Therefore, damage to leaves actually increases. It’s like a sip or two of beer gives the slug hordes the munchies.
“Therefore, plants near the trap actually suffer more damage than plants located far from the trap. In other words, the slug beer trap, when used as usually recommended, does not protect your plants and can even result in even worse damage.
“However, there is a method that ensures a beer trap really does reduce the damage caused by slugs. Don’t put the slug beer traps out in your own garden, but instead recommend the method to your neighbour.
“He’ll try it, be satisfied with the few slugs that drown in the traps, and attract all the slugs in the neighbourhood to his garden rather than yours.”