Trapping earwigs/garden pests for treats?

[SmittenChicken]

So last year I did battle with earwigs in my garden all summer long, which basically consisted of me putting out cups of cheap beer for them to drown themselves in. This year I think I have a much better idea...

The other day I emptied out a box I'd left outside overnight, and found the bottom of it swarming with earwigs. I ran out to the coop with it, but unfortunately a bunch of the little buggers jumped off en route. I put it on the coop floor, where the chickens were hiding out from the midday heat, and ripped it open. There were hundreds of little earwigs, and the chickens went crazy snapping them up. It was more fun than a bag of crickets!

So I'm going to kill two birds with one stone and try to trap the little pests for a free protein and entertainment source for my girls. I was thinking I'd lay a newspaper across the lid of a rubbermaid bin overnight, then at midday when they're hiding between the pages dump it into the bin and shut the lid quickly to detain the little guys. Any of you try anything like this before? Any reasons why this might not be a good idea?

 

[gryeyes]

It's an excellent idea, and I do trap earwigs for my girls. I put newspaper out every evening in my raised garden bed, with a section loosely rolled up, then dampened with the hose. In the morning I pick up the roll, then walk back into the run and unroll the paper. Snackies right there!

Any other cardboard bits or things I find with earwigs in or under 'em, I just call the girls over and they take care of it within seconds.

 

[PhilErvin]

GREAT idea!!

I'll do this when I get home.

 

[Morgan7782]

Earwigs LOVE my chicken feed for some reason and it's cool because all I do is fill the feeder and occasionally there are a few earwigs that go along with it. The chickens love finding these meaty treats!! And they can enjoy them for what I care lol!