Earwigs get their name from a myth, which says that they prey on people’s brains by crawling into their ears. Fortunately, this myth is completely untrue. Earwigs, even with their creepy looking tail pincers, are relatively not dangerous to people. Earwigs are not known to bite or sting humans. They also don’t contain any quantity of poison. In large groups, earwigs might spoil marigolds, roses, strawberries and other plants. It’s also possible for earwigs to bite a person’s skin with their pincers, but they do not bite unless they feel danger. Earwigs are not known to bite humans. Read the article below to know the ways to get rid of earwigs.
Earwigs Infestation:
Earwigs desire to hide in cool, moist places. During day, these insects will take protection under stones, logs, mulch and other garbage. Earwigs are full of life at night and are busy looking for food. They are attracted to light, so you may see them near light sources trying to make a food out of the other insects paying attention to the light. Some earwigs, like the European earwig, will prey on other insects. Most earwigs consume flower petals, moss, and soft fruits and vegetables. These insects can move very quickly on the ground, but are not good fliers. If in danger or squished, earwigs will discharge a bad smelling-yellowish-brown liquid.
Types of Earwigs:
1.) European Earwig
The European earwig varies from 1⁄2 to 3⁄4-inch long with fan-shaped wings, a reddish head, and reddish-brown body.
2.) Ring Legged Earwig
The Ring-legged earwig varies from 1⁄2 to 3⁄5-inch long, is black and yellowish with white bands around its leg joints. It doesn’t have wings.
3.) Riparian Earwig
The Riparian earwig varies from 3⁄4 to 1-inch long and varies in colour from light to dark brown and reddish brown with markings.
Methods to Get Rid of Earwigs:
Contents
1.) Sodium Light to Get Rid of Earwigs
Sodium lights are somewhat unfamiliar natural pest control tactic. A lot of insects are more concerned to lights that release a “bluer” wavelength. Sodium lights produce less blue wave light. Earwigs, being attracted to lights, are less attracted to sodium light, which means fewer earwigs will get their way into a home that uses sodium lights for outdoor illumination purposes.
2.) Boric Acid to Get Rid of Earwigs
Boric acid is an ordinary insecticide that is practically harmless to human beings and pets. Other names for this neutral powder are orthoboric acid, boracic acid, or Sassolite (its stone form). Spraying hard to reach places in your home is the most ordinary method of use when implementing boric acid earwig control. It will kill earwigs and its larva in one application only.
3.) Remove Moist Areas to Get Rid of Earwigs
Earwigs are attracted to moisture and thus it is significant to get rid of high moisture areas. Earwigs may be present, although unseen during the day around foundations, in mulch, under stones, boards, etc. Look for a method to get rid of damp moist conditions particularly around crawl spaces, faucets, and along the foundations. Gravel and white stones can be covered around the foundation to help drainage around the sides of the home, thus restricting the attraction of earwigs.
4.) Pest Control Professional to Get Rid of Earwigs
A pest management professional has the education, equipment and skills needed to effectively deal with an earwig problem. Finding and treating earwigs can be challenging, especially if they are stretched throughout your backyard. A pest management professional provides their skill to identify the pest problem and decide the best possible solution to get rid of earwig infestation. These professionals know which insecticides will be used and in what quantity to kill the earwigs.
5.) Agricultural Insecticides to Get Rid of Earwigs
These natural pesticides have shorter lives and less toxicity, as a commercial chemical spray. Use them when pest infestations are too high for immediate non-toxic options. Agricultural insecticides obtained from plants, which have insecticidal properties, have less harmful side effects and break down more rapidly in the environment than artificial chemicals. However, they are still poisonous and should only be used after other least-toxic options have been tried.
6.) Close Your House Entries to Get Rid of Earwigs
Prevention is better than cure. This is also applicable with earwigs. If you don’t allow them to enter your house, then there is no need to get rid of them. But this is impossible kind of stuff, but almost possible. Cover all your entries and close all your doors and windows. In this manner you can stop more than 75 percent of earwigs to enter your house. Closing house entries will also stop the entering of flies in the house.
7.) Do not Litter to Get Rid of Earwigs
Keep your surroundings clean. Earwigs are attracted towards heaps of garbage, open drains, and moist places. Cleanliness is the best method to get rid of earwigs and diseases. Keep garbage containers and bags closed tightly. If you have dogs in your home and if they litter in your garden, try to stop them from doing this. These stagnated water and garbage bins are the biggest source of earwigs and other insects to breed. Clean them at regular intervals.
8.) Clean Your Garden to Get Rid of Earwigs
Plants have moisture in their leaves and pores where water gets stagnated. Earwigs love to stay in long shrubs and leaf pile in your garden. Clean your garden and cut the shrubs at regular intervals so that they do not breed and spread diseases. You can spray pesticides in your garden to kill the earwigs. Cleaning garden will not only stop earwigs from infestation, but it will also stop the infestation of flies and termites.
9.) Clove to Get Rid of Earwigs
The strong aroma of clove is natural repellent for the earwigs. Take one apple and pluck some cloves in it. Place the apple in your kitchen and lawns. The aroma released by the apple and cloves combination will not allow the earwigs to enter the house. You can boil some water in a pan with some cloves in it. Let the mixture to cool down and spray the mixture into the house and lawn area where earwigs are present.
10.) Flypaper Strips to Get Rid of Earwigs
Flypaper strips are easily available in the stores near your house. These flypaper strips can be made at home also. The paper in it is coated with a poisonous chemical that kills earwigs fast . The flypaper strips made at home are not poisonous as they are made with corn starch and sugar. Cut a piece of paper 5 inch wide. Make a hole at one end and place it on the ground from where earwigs enter your house. Apply the sugar and cornstarch mixture on paper. Earwigs will get attracted to syrup and stuck to it and at last get killed.
11.) Encourage Toads and Birds in Your Yard to Get Rid of Earwigs
This is one of the most effective remedies to get rid of earwigs. Toads and birds prey on earwigs. It reduces the population of earwigs and keeps it under control. Try to make your garden more bird friendly by providing them shelter and food. You can attract toads by planting some plants near the house. Lay some boards on the bricks and then keep the plants on this board. This will create a shady environment for the toads. Put nest boxes or bird feeder to attract the birds in your garden. Plant more trees in your garden that bear fruits.
12.) Use Newspapers to Trap Earwigs
This is one of the best ways to get rid of earwigs. Earwigs love moist places and vegetable oil. Take newspaper and dampen it. Add a few drop of fish oil or vegetable oil. Keep it near the earwig infested area. Earwigs will get attracted to the oil and slowly crawl on the newspaper. Once they come on the newspaper and they will get stuck and will not be able to go back. And eventually earwigs will die.
13.) Make Sure There are No Green Plants
Make sure that there are no green plants in your garden. The reason behind this is that there are some green plants that attract earwigs. Earwigs multiply in green plants and this way they can easily enter your home. Don’t over water plants in your garden. The reason behind is that earwigs like to live in moist areas. Damp and moist areas increase the growth of earwigs. Try to spray some spray water on the plants in your garden to prevent earwigs.
14.) Honey to Get Rid of Earwigs
This is one of the best home remedies to get rid of earwigs. The smell of honey attracts the earwigs and helps in killing them. All you need to do is take an empty food can and fill it with vegetable oil. Mix a little amount of honey in this oil. Place this food can in the earwig infested area. The smell of honey will attract the earwigs and once they enter the food can they are unable to crawl back. And hence earwigs will drown and die.
15.) Seal Entrances to Keep Earwigs Away
This is one of the best methods to keep earwigs away from your home. There are areas near the foundation of your home from where earwigs enter the home. Earwigs also enter the home through the doorways. Check the gaps in the home from where earwigs enter. Seal gaps near the windows, baseboards and water pipes to prevent the earwigs from entering. Use a rubber door seal to stop the earwigs from entering the house from the main door.
16.) Alcohol to Get Rid of Earwigs
This is one of the best home remedies to get rid of earwigs. Alcohol is a natural surfactant that penetrates through the waxy coat of the insect and kills it. All you need to do is take isopropanol (rubbing alcohol). It is easy to find and works best. You can even go for ethanol. You can even make an insecticidal spray using alcohol. Mix 70 percent of alcohol and 70 percent of water in a spray bottle. Spray this liquid either directly on the earwigs or on the infested area.
17.) Diatomaceous Earth to Kill Earwigs
This is one of the most effective home remedies to get rid of earwigs. Diatomaceous earth is made up of natural sedimentary rock. The amount of diatomaceous earth that needs to be used depends on the length of the area. You need 5 ounces of diatomaceous earth for 100 square feet. Apply this diatomaceous earth in the soil in your garden. Reapply this again in one week. Diatomaceous earth is an excellent option to kill earwigs.
18.) Tachinid Fly to Get Rid of Earwigs
This is one of the best methods to get rid of earwigs. Tachinid fly is a predator insect that eat earwigs. All you need to do is plant some plants such as calendula, dill and Alyssum in your garden. Tanchinid fly is attracted by the smell of these plants. And if it is present in your garden, earwigs are just out.
Tips to Prevent Earwigs
- Earwigs increase in the rainy season. Therefore, be prepared in advance only.
- There are a variety of birds and toads that are the natural predators of earwigs. Therefore, try to make a bird friendly garden.
- Make sure there are no plants near the wall covered in ivy because many earwigs live in these areas.
- Earwigs slowly move from the moist material outside into your house. To prevent this you need to check everything you bring into your house such as flowers, vegetables, laundry, firewood etc.
- Every opening around your home should be sealed.
- Dry weather forces them to find some moist accommodations. Regularly check the basement to prevent earwigs.
- Make sure to use vents, fans and dehumidifiers in high moist areas such as basements and bathrooms.
- Pest control is an excellent option to prevent earwigs.