This TikToker Shows Us How To Turn Invasive Japanese Beetles Into Eggs

There's no shortage of interesting ideas on TikTok, but every once in a while you come across something so unique you have to stop and appreciate its simple brilliance. Such is the case with one TikToker's method of dealing with captured Japanese beetles. These small insects wreak big havoc on everything from edible crops to prized rose bushes. You can get your revenge and make your flock happy by feeding these captured pests to your chickens for a tasty treat.

You've probably seen Japanese beetle traps that attract these ravenous pests away from your precious plants using pheromones that are specifically attractive to this particular beetle. Because they use pheromones and floral scent to draw in Japanese beetles and trap them in a bag they cannot escape, there's no need to directly spray your plants with pesticides. While there are other ways to rid your garden of Japanese beetles, like using diatomaceous earth as a natural solution, people using these traps who also raise chickens might want to use the bags to turn those bugs into eggs. If you live in close proximity to your neighbors, you may want to think twice before using these traps, but if you have an open space like a farm, they are a safe and effective pest control option.

As we mentioned, the brilliance of this idea is in its simplicity. Since Japanese beetles are attracted by pheromones and the scent of flowers, there are no pesticides involved in their capture using these traps. These appealing odors lure them into the bag where they remain trapped and eventually die. Before that happens, though, TikToker, Grassy Fork Acres, dumps the bag of still-very-alive Japanese beetles into his chicken's water to their audible delight. We may not want these invasive pests on our plants, but it's clear this flock is very happy to have them in their bellies! And since these beetles cannot fly out of water, they are essentially trapped, making an easy, organic treat for chickens.

You can use this process even if you only have a few backyard hens. If you can get past the "ick factor," turn your captured beetles into blocks of protein-filled ice by adding them to water and filling a small sandwich bag or lidded container. Place them in your freezer so your chickies can appreciate these cool bugcicles on a particularly hot day.