In talking with neighbor Katya about the state of devastation in my garden, she suggested I put out beer traps for slugs. I did. So far I've caught no slugs, but probably four dozen earwigs. The images at the UC Davis page show precisely the damage pattern I've seen on my peppers and beans, so I think I've found the culprit. Tonight I'm going to set out a few more traps, this time baited with vegetable oil, since damned if I'm wasting any more Oberon on bugs. Shut up. I won't allow mass-produced beer in my house.
Have you tried the Java Stout? A brew buddy of mine whose wife's parents live in MI said it's really really good. I want to get my hands on some one of these days...
I missed where you mentioned the damage to the garden. If it is slugs, this ex Oregon grower strongly recommends getting ahold of some Sluggo http://www.biconet.com/crawlers/sluggo.html. As the survivor of nights where I picked more than 500 slugs out of my little gardens around the mobile home 5 nights in a row! I was thrilled to find something that wasn't going to do in the cats, dogs or small children likely to walk through my yard. This stuff works.
I have my doubts about the beer traps. I put some out in the midst of the slug fest hosted in my yard and never had more than 2 in a trap. I think those just happened across the traps accidentally.
I did hear a better suggestion for beer drinkers looking to kill slugs with beer. Get a lawn chair, a six pack and a spray bottle with ammonia in it. See slug, spray slug, drink beer.
Do not catch and bag slugs to put in the trash. Really. Just don't do it. Slugs can get out of tied and ziplock bags. Kill them. Trust me.
Oh, salting or ammoniaing them in the trash can after they've gotten out of the bags is a bad idea too.