Do birds eat earwigs?

[Janenat]

Hello
I've been researching earwigs today as for the last 2 summers when I go to clean, replenish my bird feeders, specially the nut one, it's full of earwigs, (which really freaked me the first time as of all the insect world they are the only things that creep me out!) I've read how to make traps which would hopefully lure them away, give them somewhere else to sleep during the day. But it got me wandering, it seems an odd place to hide, wouldn't the birds eat them? In all my reading they say what the earwigs eat, but not what eat earwigs?

P.S. wasn't sure whether to post this here or in the insect forum, hopefully someone out there is all knowing!!

Jane

[bigdave60dog]

Never really thought about it. Earwigs look pretty fay and nourishing to me so I have always assumed that everthing eats them. Also they are mostly nocturnal. Only insects that are very fast, inedible or look inedible are diurnal so I would say that the answer is YES.

[Janenat]

Yes I would have thought so too, maybe they are suicidal or daredevils!!

Jane

[aeshna5]

I've watched Robins eat them when they've been disturbed by gardening activities. I'm sure many insectivorous birds will eat them given the oppurtunity, but normally the insects are concealed by day, so afforded some protection.

[moozy]

I am sure most insect eating birds would eat earwigs, I have seen blackbirds and crows take them when I have turned the soil over in my garden. My dad keeps ducks and hens and no insect is save with them.

Ian moozy Moore

[LRM]

I used to hate earwigs as well. But then I saw the Wildlife on One programme narrated by David Attenborough about the life of Earwigs.

It showed how both the male and female look after the eggs and clean them and protect them from ants and fungi and other predators and then look after the young when they hatch. In this programme one of the parents was killed and the other parent carried on its parental duties on its own.

My view of Earwigs changed after that, and now I leave them alone or move them elsewhere if they are indoors or chewing up my best dahlia flowers.

[moozy]

My view of Earwigs changed after that, and now I leave them alone or move them elsewhere if they are indoors or chewing up my best dahlia flowers.[/quote]

Good for you

[Janenat]

Thanks all I've put up a cane, newspaper pot trap thingy so hopefully they'll use that instead of being disturbed by me.
Jane