Earwigs are ugly-looking, poorly understood insects that are thought of as a pest that causes nuisance. The most popular belief is that the insects infiltrate people’s ears and lay eggs. This could be the source of where the earwig’s name came from. However, it’s not the truth.
Some kinds of earwigs can be capable of causing severe destruction to plants, and others can cause minor irritations and abrasions when squeezed. However, they do serve (primarily) essential purposes. If you see earwigs in your home, What are they? Where did they come from? What can you do to remove these? If you’re beginning to notice damages to your garden plants, how can you know if it’s caused by the result of earwigs or another issue?
What are Earwigs?
Earwigs are winged insects with distinctive forceps or pincers at the ends of their abdomens. The most well-known species of earwigs in North America is called Forficula Auricularia. These are also commonly referred to as common earwigs or pincher bugs. They’re reddish brown and approximately half-an-inch (12-15 millimeters) long.
Since they are omnivores, earwigs consume organic material, everything from leaf litter to tiny insects. They aren’t known to bite, but when you pick one up and try to handle it, it might try to nip you. But earwigs don’t have poison, and their pinch won’t cause skin damage.
What are the effects of earwigs on your home?
Contrary to termites or other horrid bugs that could destroy your home from the inside, Earwigs are relatively safe and not damaging.
Earwigs aren’t keen to live in your home. The sole reason they’re there is that they discovered their way into your home by accident or were forced into it due to the weather conditions not being suitable for them to live. This is excellent because it means they’re not searching for something in your home. This is fantastic news since they’ll not cause any damage to your home. But, they do emit the smell of rotten food.
How to Remove Earwigs
To eliminate or eliminate pincher bugs from the garden or at home, There are various organic and chemical methods for doing this. With several different kinds of earwigs used in the US and Canada, here are a few options:
- Dishwashing soap with water Mix dish soap with water to spray areas where you’ve discovered ears that are crawling.
- The combination of water and alcohol mixes rubbing alcohol with water to spread ears that have been sprayed. This technique can be employed to kill earwigs instantly.
- The boric acid powder is available in various hardware stores. Boric acid is a remedy you can apply to not-accessible areas to kill earwigs crawling around it. Be aware that this solution is not recommended for areas where infants or pets are around because it could cause harm.
- Light traps Earwigs are attracted by the bright lights as they move about at night. Use dish soap and water as described above and fill an empty bucket. Shine a bright light on the bucket and let it out to draw and destroy ears.
- Soy sauce and oil are traps – Mix the oils of olive and sauces in a tiny container and place it near the area where earwigs were found. Earwigs will be drawn by the scent and climb into the liquid, where they’ll drown.
WHAT SCENT CONTAINS EARWIGS AWAY?
Some of the most effective scents to keep your earwigs at bay include eucalyptus, peppermint, basil, and cinnamon. To distribute the scents around your home, you must place a few drops of essential oils into water to reduce them. You can then use a humidifier to spread the fragrance or pour the bottle into a sprayer and spray it on the areas affected.
The most crucial aspect of being aware of when using essential oils and scents is that some are hazardous to pets of all kinds. So, conduct your research before using it in your home.
Create a Light Trap
One factor that makes earwigs so easy to capture is that bright light sources attract them. Due to this, you can build a DIY trap for earwigs with a bucket of soapy water and powerful light. Fill the bucket with soap solution, shine the light towards it, and then place it outside or in a part of your home where you’ve previously seen earwigs. They’ll be attracted by the light and become stuck in the soap mix.
Make use of soap and water SOLUTION.
Another option to avoid vacuuming is to use a simple wash-off solution of soap and water, which is popular with Truly Nolen(opens in a new tab)’s Tech Manager Mike Duncan. He suggests creating the bug spray using the two ingredients before spraying the liquid over the affected areas.
Apply the Boric Acid Powder
The boric acid powder is bought at any hardware store. It is an effective earwig-repellent. It can be sprinkled in places where earwigs may be able to enter the house. It will kill bugs that get across it. However, it is essential to be cautious with boric acid because it is dangerous for children and animals in the vicinity. Make sure it is away from children and pets and apply it to areas that are not easily accessible.
ELIMINATE MOISTURE EXCESS
After removing the earwigs, Megan Wede from Done Right Pest Solutions recommends eliminating damp areas surrounding your home to keep them from returning.
“Earwigs like damp spaces and, therefore, if you’ve suffered a leak within a wall cavity, that’s the perfect situation for populations of earwigs to increase and multiply,’ she adds. Keep an eye out for any bulging or warping of siding since it indicates water damage to the wall. Make sure you remove the source of harborage.’
How to Avoid Earwigs
- Your yard can be transformed into a bird’s sanctuary. Birds are the natural predators of earwigs. Therefore, encouraging feathered creatures to gather in your backyard effectively manages the population of earwigs in your garden. Installing several birdbaths and bird feeders can instantly boost the activity of birds in your garden and help guard the plants you plant from the ears.
- Keep your garden tidy. Removing “dead or down” debris from your yard deprives the earwigs of their preferred food source and shelter. Each week, conduct an easy scan and remove the dead and rotting leaves you see. It’s not uncommon to see grass clippings and trimmings on your flower beds following you’ve cut your lawn, so you should make the garden check a part of your regular gardening routine.
- Do not plant bushes or ivy in your garden. Ivy and thick underbrush are the perfect habitats for earwigs, so ensure that your garden is clear of them, particularly when planting earwig-friendly plants like celery or lettuce.
- Make sure you keep the exterior of your home tidy. The majority of kinds of earwigs prefer areas that are rich in organic matter and leaves. So, make sure that you don’t allow these materials to get in the way of your home. Mulch is often the home of vast numbers of earwigs; therefore, keep it in your garden but away from the edges of your home.
Final THINKS
Earwigs do not pose a significant risk to the health or health of humans, plants, or pets. They can be a problem, but after they’ve taken up their home in your backyard, it’s not uncommon for them to find their way into your home. It’s good to know that they’re not easy to eliminate. Most homeowners can do the task with materials they already have in their homes. Utilizing these natural methods to get rid of the earwigs, you can ensure your plants look great while providing a safe and pesticide-free environment for you and your children.