Earwigs...EEEEWWWWW!

[kickinchicken]

Ok, I seriously HATE

earwigs and I have seen them in my coop as well as under the gate for the run. They just gross me out and make me check my ears over and over....yuck!

I just cleaned out the coop because I had a few wet spots due to last night's thunderstorm. I sprinkled (heavily) Sweet PDZ all along the edges of the coop and well as a moderate sprinkling on the floor, then dusted with DE, then covered with a light layer of pine shavings. I only have 5 chicks and I do a total clean out every 7-14 days. More often if it rains-their home is temporary and I just filled in all the known gaps with that spray foam.
So....how do I get rid of the earwigs. Seriously. No, seriously!

 

[Akane]

Earwigs are harmless and will not crawl in to your ear. They do like warm humid places though. If you are keeping the coop dry and clean then there isn't much more you can do to get rid of earwigs. The chickens might eat them and they can actually be beneficial. The common earwig is omnivorous and has been seen eating lice.

 

[kickinchicken]

I know they won't get in my ear

But they are just so gross and evil looking. I really just don't want them around. They are not welcome.

 

[chick-george]

One of the bugs that I totally hate but my chicks LOVE to eat them.

They literally go nuts when they see them.

 

[gryeyes]

Chickens LOVE earwigs. I posted a while ago about the time I was going to dump a grow-bag of last year's potting soil into the chickens' favorite dust bath spot, and a slew of earwigs fell out. I flung the bag and jumped back, and moments later Buh-BAWK! there were three chickens and then four chickens and then five, all scrabbling to eat up the bugs faster than they could skitter away.

 

[Morgan7782]

Amen to Linda's post! Earwigs are those pincher bugs right? If so I had one crawling on me and I went to move it off and the butthead had the nerve to threaten me with his pinchers. Needless to say, my two girls each got half! lol, they LOVE them whenever they can find them

 

[ellieroo]

This will not alter those of you who are grossed out by earwigs But they are one of the few bugs who actually raise and care for their young!!

 

[CalebtheChicken]

The reason earwiks got "ear" in their name was because their wings are shaped like human ears, not because they crawl in people's ears.

 

[fishermans wife]

My girls adore earwigs...a favorite treat, and they have done a wonderful job of reducing the earwig population in the backyard to the point where we have to really hunt to find any! Love that natural pest control!

 

[gryeyes]

Quote:
Earwigs have WINGS?? Does that mean they FLY??? *shuddering*