I know this is a silly question but.....
I've just been out to feed the birds to discover earwigs inside my nyjer feeder. I presume they've crawled in at the bottom and worked their way up through the seed. Would it be ok to leave them there or do I need to empty it and get rid of them? Ugh, I can't stand earwigs.
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Earwigs are generally nocturnal, and seek out dark cracks and crevices to rest during the day. They are mainly vegetarian scavengers, but will eat carrion and other insects, namely aphids. For this reason, and the fact that many birds will eat them, they are good to have in your garden.
I would suggest letting the seeds in the feeder get used up (by which time the earwigs will have moved on), then clean it thoroughly before putting it out again. As they feed on waste food, i don't think you'll ever stop them completely but they shouldn't cause any harm.
One or two shouldn't be a problem - As long as they aren't too many it should be ok to leave them be. However, if you do get an infestation, it would probably be a good idea to stop putting food out for a while and let the birds eat the earwigs instead!
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Thanks for that. I can't stand the little blighters having lived on the Outer Hebrides where there are billions of them. One night instead of climbing straight into bed I had the sudden urge to pull back the duvet....to find one in my bed!!!! Ever since I have nightmares about them when I see one. I stopped growing dahlias because of them. Ugh! As for the birds eating them...they've all gone! I now have a garden full of wasps, not only have they found the raisins in the peanut feeder (photo below) but they're crawling over the apples I put out for the birds....who have obviously had a better offer of dinner elsewhere. The wasps were everywhere tonight. Masses of them crawling over each other to get to the apples. I must admit though that it was fascinating watching them strip the apple flesh completely from the skin and core.