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An earwig is a type of bug that gets its name from the old European myth that they crawl into people’s ears and tunnel into their brains while they are sleeping. While this superstition has no scientific backing, the pincers located on the back of an earwig’s abdomen are quite frightening to many people. There are more than 20 different earwig species occurring in the United States. Read on to learn about earwig control and how to get rid of earwigs. Although they look ferocious and may nibble on your garden plants or pantry foods, earwigs won’t hurt you; they’re mostly just a nuisance.
Are earwigs attracted to light?
Of course, if you notice a slender brown insect with pincers at the tip of its abdomen, it’s a sure sign there are pincher bugs in the house. This usually happens when you turn on the lights at nighttime or disturb the dark crevices where earwigs reside. However, earwigs do frighten some people because of their pincers which are actually used to fend off predators, and spar with other earwigs for mating purposes. They are most active at night and will hide during the day in dark, damp areas of your yard. When provoked by a need for food or a change in weather, earwigs may infiltrate households by way of exterior cracks and openings.
How to Kill Earwigs
Another homemade solution is by mixing one part rubbing alcohol to one part water in a spray bottle. Once mixed, spray directly on the earwigs each time you see them. Inspect the basement, doors and windows, crawlspaces and anywhere else that could compromise the seal between the indoors and outdoors.
Developed Pincher Bug – Adult Stage
Your House Is Crawling With Bugs - National Geographic
Your House Is Crawling With Bugs.
Posted: Wed, 17 Feb 2021 18:50:28 GMT [source]
Pincher bugs are omnivores, meaning that they’ll eat pretty much anything that’s made available to them. In the garden, they primarily feed on dead or decaying plant and animal matter. However, when their population gets out of control, they may turn to feast on living plant matter, especially the seedlings or young foliage of vegetables and flowers. They will also readily prey on aphids, insect eggs, maggots, grubs, and armyworms.
If you’re seeing earwigs in the house instead of just signs of them, mix equal parts rubbing alcohol and water in a spray bottle. The alcohol acts almost like a firearm for insects, bypassing the insect’s waxy shell and killing them immediately. One of the best things about having a backyard is the opportunity to bird-watch. Creating an environment that’s attractive to birds can help control the pest population, too.
Earwigs will eat aphids, plant lice, flies, and other pesky bugs. But they will also feed on healthy seedlings, tender shoots, ornamental shrubs, and some crop plants. Therefore, their feeding habits can make them pests in the yard. To help prevent future problems, start by eliminating their hiding places. Remove leaf piles, excess vegetation, and any stored wood from around the yard.
Make a DIY Bug Spray
The small insects have a dark mahogany abdomen, lighter-colored wing covers, and reddish-brown heads. In addition, earwigs have characteristic two pincers at their tail end. Like most pests, earwigs are looking for shelter and a source of food to survive.
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So, exploit this piece of info, and set up a bait-based trap they can't resist. Outdoors, apply Ortho® Home Defense® Insect Killer for Lawn & Landscape in landscape beds, around listed edibles, and around the foundation of your home. Pay special attention to areas where earwigs like to hide during the day. As a nymph, which is the stage of baby or juvenile, the earwig will experience 4-6 moltings before they reach the maturity of adulthood. A molting is the process of shedding old skin and shell to make way for new growth. As these nymphs molt, they will continuously grow and gain the features of an adult earwig.
You can collect earwigs and feed then to your chickens if you keep them. If earwigs are a problem inside keep your upstairs windows closed in the evening as they’ll fly in. A little preparation and inspection a few times a year will keep earwigs from entering a house or apartment. Pest control professionals also can offer guidance and have tools they can employ to keep earwigs out of the home. Clogged gutters can cause a number of other problems, but for earwigs, they present yet another moist and welcome environment.
What’s more, since earwigs will eat just about anything organic (live plants, flowers and fallen fruit from trees), these can also become a gardener's nightmare. As with any other type of insect with multiple species, biology and habits vary. Most active at night, earwigs hide during the day in damp areas, primarily under rocks or mulch in flowerbeds.
Pepper Moran is a pest control expert with over five years experience in educating homeowners on affordable and earth-friendly ways to protect their homes from pests. When an earwig, either alone or in numbers, enters a house, it may be because conditions are harsh outside or because conditions are suitable inside. Since most earwigs like moist protected areas and rarely come into dry moving air, conditions must be just right for them to establish themselves inside. Earwigs are typically found anywhere cold and damp, including cracks, crevices, under leaves, wet mulch, and other hidden areas. So, if you're looking for an excuse to pick up one of the best dehumidifiers on the market, this expert has given you full permission. An alternative to vacuuming is a simple soap and water solution that is favored by Truly Nolen's Technical Manager, Mike Duncan.
This includes growing out their shells, their antennas, their wings, and their pincers. While earwigs are present all over the world, finding them only requires understanding how they live and operate. Often referred to as the “Pincher Bug“, the earwig is a pest you won’t soon forget nor have trouble identifying when you see one. With intimidating pincers, long antennas, and a predictable lifestyle, you can find these creepy crawlers in and around your home when the environment suits them. Knowing who and what they are makes encountering an earwig a harmless circumstance. We back up our pest control recommendations with a detailed rating methodology that we use to objectively score each provider.
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