How to Get Rid of Earwigs In and Around the Home

Earwigs, or pincher bugs as I call them, are fast and mean-looking little critters. They feed on animal matter and other insects and plants with some of their favorites being Dahlia, Chrysanthemum, Clover, lettuce, roses, Zinnias, Hollyhock, celery and sunflower.

The earwig is a nocturnal creature. During the day, they hide in damp places in gardens, woodlands and around the outside of houses. If they manage to get inside the house, they are most likely to hide in baseboards, small gaps, cracks and around sinks or in the bathroom.

Although they are not harmful to people, they are a nuisance and cause damage to plants and gardens. However, this can easily be solved by getting rid of the earwigs. Here are a few ideas on how to get rid of earwigs in and around your garden and home.

Outside

To get rid of earwigs that are outdoors, you will want to start by taking care of their hiding places. These places would include damp, shady spots such as under plants, boards on the ground, wood piles, cracks in walkways, dead trees, in yard debris and around foundations.

Cleaning up around the yard and putting gravel along the foundation of your home, will make the spot less inviting for earwigs. The gravel will provide extra drainage around the foundation, leaving little or no damp places for hiding.

Birds are a great way to eliminate the number of earwigs crawling around. Adding a birdbath and or feeders will attract birds and soon those little pesky earwigs will start to disappear.

Newspaper that is rolled up and put on the ground at potential hiding places, makes for a great earwig trap. Place the rolled newspaper out during the day and the earwigs will use it to hide in. At the end of the day, dump the hiding earwigs out into a pan of oil or soapy water.

Insecticides and pesticides are also available for controlling and getting rid of earwigs. When picking an insecticide or pesticide be sure to read the label carefully so you are sure to get the correct one. When using the product, use it according to the instruction provided. Insecticides and pesticides can be found for both outdoor and indoor use.

Inside the Home

When the weather gets hot, earwigs will make their way inside to stay cool and hide. They are also attracted to light and will move to were it is. Getting rid or earwigs and preventing them inside, is an easy as the outside.

The rolled up newspaper can be used inside the house as well and in the same manner. Place the newspaper in cupboards, around garbage cans and other or potential hideouts.

Placing a shallow pan of vegetable oil near hiding places is another good trap. The earwigs will make their way to the pan, climb into the oil and not be able to get out.

Earwigs will use windows and doors as means of entrance. Using screens on the windows will keep earwigs from getting in when the window is open. Using weather stripping along windows and doors also helps greatly. Check around doors for cracks and gaps. Fill any in with putty or calking. This will eliminate the amount of entry points for earwigs.

Boric Acid powder or Diatomaceous Earth can be used to control earwigs. Sprinkle a little of either of these into cracks, crevices and hard to reach places inside the home. In order for these to work properly, the earwigs will need to crawl through them.

For a large group of earwigs a simple vacuuming will do nicely. Be sure you are ready before you start. They will quickly scurry off once they are disturbed. After vacuuming, empty content of vacuum into a sealed contained or bag, so the earwigs cannot get out and dispose of it.

sources:
Ohioline.osu.edu
e.wikipedia.org

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