Pro - Does anyone else's nest boxes get soaked in rain?

[bouldercroft]

I was washing out the tray in one of my gave it a really good blast with the jet setting on the hose pipe - left it in the sun to dry a little and then when I went back I saw some tiny (think end of a mechanical pencil lead) black things that jump and if I squashed them they looked green/black.

 

Is this something that jumped out of the grass and onto the bars/tray or do I have a more serious issue?

 

any ideas?

[The Dogmother]

I think that perhaps they came from the grass, attracted by the red of the plastic.

[bouldercroft]

thanks Claret - that was my guess too - but I'll give everything a super squeaky clean this weekend just incase...

[The Dogmother]

If you can get some, spray it with a spray containing permethrin (ant sprays in the UK usually contain this) that'll nuke any bugs.

[gongladosh]

I was once advised not to squash 'em - they may be full of eggs!

[bouldercroft]

I've got some 'garden and poultry dust' which has permethrin in it - I'll sprinkle some about tomorrow...

[The Dogmother]

Good call, dust your eglu with it too.

[bouldercroft]

and those little balck things are on my broccoli, brussels and strawberries....I can now confirm that they are not chicken related