What Do Earwigs Look Like?
Earwigs are long, flat, and wriggly little creepy-crawlies with six legs.
What Are Cerci?
The Spruce / Katie Kerpel
Cerci are the pincers on an earwig’s abdomen.
Earwigs use cerci in various ways, including hunting, defense, and courting.
Flying earwigs also use their cerci to assist in folding and unfolding their wings.
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Avoid these treatments for earwigs and try something else.
Consider an all-natural control method or a professional pest control service.
Fix moisture issues around the home that could be attracting earwigs.
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Earwigs will hide under cedar siding, so check for wet spots and areas with standing water.
These insects gravitate to bathroom cabinets with leaks or condensation in basements.
Since light attracts earwigs at night, consider using it as an attractant when you set traps.
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Set One of These Traps
Traps can help reduce the number of earwigs present around your home.
Consider using a nightlight to boost trap effectiveness since light entices these bugs at night.
Keep earwigs out of your home by sealing up cracks and crevices using caulk.
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confirm your doors and windows close with a proper seal.
By keeping a good seal on your home, it will reduce moisture.
This natural desiccant will dehydrate the insects as they walk through the powdery substance.
Make a DIY Bug Spray
Kill earwigs with a spritz of 70 percent rubbing alcohol and water.
Another option is to use a dish soap and water solution and spray areas where earwigs hang out.
A solution of water and white distilled vinegar is another scent that earwigs do not like and effectively cleans.
Protect Your Fruit Trees
Earwigs will burrow into ripe tree fruit.
Protect your fruit with a petroleum jelly trap.
The sticky barrier prevents earwigs from reaching the fruit.
What Causes Earwigs?
Earwigs originated in Europe but are found worldwide, except in Antarctica.
They have spread all over the globe via imports and exports.
Shake out earwigs gently or remove them with tweezers and drop them into soapy water.
Signs of Earwigs
Earwig signs in the home or garden are similar.
Take note that earwigs release a foul excrement-like odor when they are disturbed.
Other signs include:
As earwigs are nocturnal, the best time to search for them is at night.
Grab a flashlight and inspect areas where you think they are.
Watch out for their defense mechanismemitting a malodorous rotten smell when frightened.
They are licensed to use chemical controls to get rid of the problem.
They will likely use effective insecticides like spinosad (e.g., SluggoPlus baits or spinosad sprays).
They will put baits around attractive areas, plants, and near home foundation entry points.
More potent, toxic insecticides, like carbaryl, may be used if other options don’t work.
Integrated pest management combines strategies to solve insect problems, combining insecticides, traps, and sanitation procedures.
Effective pest control requires persistence and continued efforts to remove earwigs effectively.
Occasionally, earwigs will pinch, but this is incredibly rare.
When pinches happen, they are not dangerous and do not hurt or sting.
Earwigs are essential to a healthy ecosystem.
It is best to let them be as long as there are manageable numbers.
If they are inside in larger numbers, find them, trap them, and get rid of them.
They will not go away on their own.
Earwigs have spread across the world through means such as shipping and trade.
They live outside in moist environments, feeding on rotting plant matter and insects.
Sometimes, they wander inside but are mostly considered a nuisance or garden pest.
Earwigs hate essential oil scents like peppermint, cinnamon, and eucalyptus.
Earwigs need moisture and will move on if the garden is dry.
Once you no longer see more earwigs, put down fresh mulch.
Mallis, Arnold, and Keith Story.Handbook of Pest Control.
Franzak & Foster, 1982.
New York, Sterling Pub.
; Woodstock, Vt, 2008.
