Earwigs.

goddy

Hi! Earlier on in the year when I was having a tidy up I was amazed at how many earwigs there was. I have millions of the little blighters. They're under every pot,stone,bucket and even make their way up the bird feeder hiding underneath the feeder tops. I don,t kill anything in my garden and I believe they are a predator so is this a sign my garden is healthy? I don,t know! However!! Back in the seventies in my other garden before I move to get married I saw a devils coach horse beetle. That was forty years ago and I have never seen another since. Until this summer when I found FOUR of them in my back garden. I was thrilled to bits. I know they are a gardeners friend. I got my books out to see what they prey on and lo and behold they munch on earwigs!! I can't wait for next year to see what other creepies will find their home here. 

Brexiteer

I saw devils beetle for the first time the other day. My garden has loads of earwigs and wolf spiders 

goddy

I have lots of wolf spiders too. This is what I love about Gardening. Watching all the little critters go about their business. The other week when it was pouring down I went into the conservatory and right outside the door was a bedraggled sparrow hawk plucking a collared dove. Probably a young inexperienced one. It flew off over the fence with it. The birds(in particular our resident wood pigeon)were very nervous until I was able to go out and clean the blood and feathers up. Sad, but they have to eat.

Bijdezee

Earwigs ate my honeysuckle then the black fly. I don't like them but I leave them alone. What eats earwigs I wonder? 

wild edges

Bijdezee said:

What eats earwigs I wonder? 

Everything. They're like the chicken of the insect world

They're abundant here this year too. It's been a bumper year for all kinds of insects.

Fairygirl

Funnily enough - we've had a lot of earwigs this year, and we don't tend to get that many normally. 
I managed to bring one in with me the other day - he was on the settee. I didn't put him in the sandwich I was eating though.
Maybe he fancied whatever was on the telly... 

Always 'spider city' here too. I released one I found in the shed yesterday that had got stuck in a plastic bag with some bits and pieces. He never even thanked me - ungrateful s*d 

goddy

I find that earwigs do some damage but this doesn't outweigh the benefits. Devils coach horse prey on them. 

Brexiteer

Fairygirl said:

Funnily enough - we've had a lot of earwigs this year, and we don't tend to get that many normally. 
I managed to bring one in with me the other day - he was on the settee. I didn't put him in the sandwich I was eating though.
Maybe he fancied whatever was on the telly... 

Always 'spider city' here too. I released one I found in the shed yesterday that had got stuck in a plastic bag with some bits and pieces. He never even thanked me - ungrateful s*d  😂😂😂😂

Dovefromabove

Can’t remember the last time I saw an earwig ... there must be something about my garden that they don’t like  ... either that or all the birds and other wildlife we attract are eating them as soon as they appear. 😊 

Dovefromabove

You’re very welcome @philippa smith2  🤣 

Mind your head ... it’s coming over .... 🥔 

Dovefromabove

Oh to understand the workings of an insect’s mind 🤔