216 Disappearing Beetles

Around this time each year beetles descend upon us by the millions.  Maybe I should say ascend since I think they come up from burrows in the ground.  I’m unsure of the name of the beetle.  They look like a June bug, but smaller and black in color.  They fly and end up in your hair, under your shirt, all over the place.  It’s like a plague.  They are especially prevalent at night and are attracted to our outside lights. 

Porch Light Attracting Beetles

They cling to the bricks and cover the sidewalks.  And that’s okay with me, believe it or not.  I’ve been going outside before bed with a bucket and begin filling the bucket with beetles I pick up.  It’s kind of tricky since the beetles try to fly out of the bucket, so I have to continually shake the bucket to keep them off-balance.  I also have to be very careful because our honeybees are attracted to the lights as well.  I don't want to pick up bees along with my beetles.  That would be painful.  Benjamin helps me pick them all up and put them in the bucket.  Last night I picked up 216 beetles.  Yep, I counted them, but I didn’t throw them away.  I carried them out to the meat birds in the chicken tractor out on the pasture.

The Beetle Bucket

Since this is about the fourth night I’ve done it, the chickens are kind of waiting on me.  As I open the door to the chicken tractor, they begin chirping, excitedly, licking their lips.  Wait, chickens don’t have lips.  Anyway, and then…  It’s on!

Come and Get It!

The birds frantically run around, each of them grabbing a beetle in their beaks, running around excitedly.

They try to get away from the other birds so they can eat the beetle without having to worry about others trying to steal their prized beetle snack.  Some seek out corners in which to eat their beetle in peace.  The poor beetles try to fly, but the acrobatic birds are like heat-seeking missiles.  They leap into the air and devour their prey.

A quiet table in the corner, please

Not only does ‘beetle-pickin’ clean the many beetles off the house, but it provides the growing meat birds with great nutrition.  A quick google search tells me that the protein % of beetles is around 50%!  That’s much higher than the 18% Chick Grower I’m feeding them.  Much cheaper, too…  To the meat birds, these beetles are like manna from heaven.