EARWIG DETAILS

Earwig Control
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Indoors Earwigs are not harmful to people and do not cause any damage inside the home. Simple measures such as a broom and dustpan might be enough to remove them from the house. If they happen to be a serious nuisance, you should think about the elimination of their hiding places, food material, and moisture sources, which will reduce the infestation. Remember to check potted plants for activity before bringing them indoors as they love to burrow in the dirt.

If Earwigs need to be controlled, insecticides should be applied in cracks and crevices, or you can spot treat infested areas from which they enter the home. A contact insecticide will kill exposed pests if you have a large infestation, but you might also consider one which will provide residual activity. Earwigs may be entering through wall voids. If that is the case, a dust product labeled for earwigs would be a good choice. Dust products will also last up to 8 months undisturbed.

If you have earwigs entering your home from outdoors, this means you have large numbers outside. Removal of places where they breed and hide will help control the infestation. If you have compost piles or decaying vegetation, these should be removed if they are close to the house. By keeping mulch no more then 2-4 inches deep, it will tend to remain dry.

To see if you have these pests, you can easily make a pitfall trap. Bury a jar or tin can in the dirt at ground level. You can bait them if you wish. Earwigs will be trapped since they cannot easily climb the sides of the container.

It is easy to control earwigs with insecticide applications. You can provide a barrier treatment to prevent them from entering your home, or as a broadcast treatment with granules in control infested landscape. Barrier treatments are typically applied by spraying a good residual insecticide up to 3 ft. up the walls and 6 ft. out into the soil depending on the label. Remember to concentrate on cracks in the sidewalk, steps, and damp areas. Mulched flowerbeds and the base of shrubbery might also be places to consider applying the insecticide concentrate. Since earwigs are active at night, applications should be made late in the afternoon or early evening. Applying treatment at regular intervals will add in the control of these pests.

Earwigs
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Earwigs are little insects that are beetle-like, short-winged, and fast moving. They measure from one-half to one inch in length. They are usually dark brown, have a pair of pincer-like appendages at the tip of the abdomen.

Earwigs are very active at night. During the daytime, they can be found hiding in cracks, crevices, under bark or in similar places. They tend to be scavenger type feeders in their habits, but will occasionally feed on plants.

Earwigs are completely harmless even though they were named after an old superstition that they entered people ears. If you mash them, you may detect a foul smelling liquid. This comes from a scent gland which some species have which might be used for protection.

The stripped adult earwigs are dark brown with light tan markings. The males are large and robust with stout pincers. The smaller females are somewhat lighter in color. Earwigs are most often found in areas having sandy or clay soils, and live in subterranean burrows or under debris. Their normal habitat is outdoors, but if their populations are large or adverse, they may enter structures in search of food or a more suitable environment.

Due to their nighttime activity, earwigs tend to remain in soil or under debris during the day and prefer heavily thatched lawns or mulched flower beds. At night they will congregate towards light as they search for food. Their favorites include armyworms, aphids, mites, and scales. Food scraps or dead insects are also enjoyed.

Female earwigs typically lay about 50 tiny eggs in burrows in the ground. After 7 days, the eggs will hatch into nymphs at which time they will feed on their egg case. Throughout this first nymphal stage, the female will continue to care for her young. At this stage, the young nymphs are easily confused with termites.

After another 7 days, the nymph will molt into the second stage where they are then released from the burrow by the female. The nymphs better hurry and hide or the female, who loses her maternal instincts at this time, will devour them. During later stages, the nymphs tend to be cannibalistic.

The small earwig passes through 6 nymphal stages before becoming an adult earwig. The total life cycle from egg to adult lasts an average of 56 days.