The legend of the Earwig

Earwigs get their name from a false European superstition. According to legend these tiny bugs would crawl into the ears of sleeping people and bore into their brains. In reality earwigs rarely bite and are for the most part harmless. Still in the age of fairness I thought I’d include this picture so you can see how the lore lives on. You can see the ‘queen’ lodged into the brain while the two ‘guards’ ( highlighted in red ) stand ready in the ear canal to protect the nesting site. Oh the magic of photo shopping and the legend lives on.

Earwigs are nocturnal insects feeding on a wide variety of plant material, nectar and some insects. They populate areas of high moisture such as potted plants, mulch, wet welcome mats or under a variety of things that may keep them cool while providing moisture.

Earwigs grow via ‘gradual metamorphoses, in other words the babies look like the adults. Female earwigs will lay 50 to 60 eggs either while in hibernation or early spring. Generally just one new generation per year for these guys’. Earwigs have wings but rarely fly. They are easily recognizable by the forceps which look menacing but pose no threat to you or I.

As stated earwigs feed at night and it is not uncommon to find them in your home. No real spray measures are needed for the occasional pest but sometimes outside numbers are so high that homes may get many more than desired in living areas. Since earwigs hide during the day a thorough crack and crevice treatment might be in order. Such sprays as Demand CS or Suspend SC will work nicely for baseboard hiding spots. For void areas such as where plumbing pipes are you could use Delta dust. It has some ability to hold up under moist conditions making it ideal for theses spots.
Your best bet is to alter the exterior near your home since this is where they’ll be coming from. If possible elevate potted plants, remove wet ‘welcome’ mats or alter any such thing that allows moisture to be contained under or in it. Rake mulch turning it to allow for some drying, point sprinklers away from home and regulate them so you are not over watering. In areas where it’s not possible to alter use Talstar PL granular insecticide, simply lift up the mat or pot and sprinkle the area. The same can be done in soil or mulch around the foundation of the home creating a barrier. Niban bait is also a good choice and should be used as the granules.

If you should experience a sudden influx of earwigs do a little investigation before you reach for the sprays. It may be a wet rug, a trim board on your door frame that is constantly soaked and perhaps rotting. Maybe it’s been cold so you’ve brought some plants inside. Look for the moisture source first and you’ll find your earwigs. Remove the source a maybe a touch of spray at the entry point and your problem will be solved.

There are rare occasions of mass earwig invasions and if you find this is happening to you please leave a comment with some details of your situation and I’ll see if I can help.

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Jay

Hi, I have a problem with an infestation of earwigs for about two to three years now. I do have a welcome mat at the front and rear door but I find them all other my ranch three bedroom home like the hall, bedrooms, baths and ocassional round in the kitchen. I put down Bayer granules but I am still seeing them from time to time. Could they be coming from the attic or some place other than the doors? I appreciate any feed back how to get rid of them. Thanks!
http://pestcemetery.com The Bug Doctor

Attic might be a bit to hostile for them to thrive very long. In general, they come in from outside and unless it’s pretty moist inside- they end up dying and do not continue any life cycle indoors. One forgotten place is under the slab where it is always moist and the earwig has no trouble following the pipes to the bath trap areas or other plumbing. Dusting the plumbing voids is the best approach for this. http://pestcemetery.com/kill-bugs-dusts/

http://pestcemetery.com/difficult-termite-problems-difficult-bath-traps/
http://pestcemetery.com/10-minute-bath-trap/

I hope this helps
terr-terr

i have a problem with an earwig infestation, they started coming out during the day. I can say i probably kill about 50 during the day and night time, they have got into my sofa my pillows, in the clock in my stove, even seen 12 in a connector of a pot handle. i called a exterminator and he couldn’t get over how many i had and has sprayed my house and is going to come back in a week and a half to spray again. my question is will they lay in my sofa? because i use to kill about 6 a night in it.
http://pestcemetery.com The Bug Doctor

That could serve as a resting spot but unless your couch is providing a moisture source, I doubt they’d stay in it long. Try rolling up a damp newspaper and putting that an the floor near the area (on plastic maybe so you don’t damage the floor) The earwigs will crawl into it and you simply discard of them paper and all.

If you ever have a camera handy- I’d love some pics of severe earwig infestations in places like that. Just use the ask the bug doctor page http://pestcemetery.com/bug-doctor/

Thanks and good luck
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Jessica matoszewski

I think I’m getting an earwig problem I have found 5 in the bathrooms, 8 by my front door,1 in my room, and 2 in my little brothers ds case. We just bought this house. and one of the only problems with it is that the basement was flooded out. We where told to put a dehumidifier down there because my parents and I are allergic to mold. but I’m finding them in all the dry spots.
Btmcfarland714

I am having a huge problem last night i looked on my deck and saw at least ten of them on my screen door I sprayed a little and saw more running. By my mailbox i believe there is a nest or something because there was more than i could count. Can someone please tell me how to get rid of them.
http://pestcemetery.com The Bug Doctor

Dusting under the deck in between the cracks will do wonders. This link should help. http://pestcemetery.com/bugs-deckexterior-pest-control-dusts/
http://profile.yahoo.com/7XYXMRDADBNPRFPBRNL5RPORUI heather

These things are taking over my house. I have been getting bitten up almost every night its horrible. My kids told me what they were and I began my search online so here I am. I see them ALL over my house, around my house and by my garage. WHAT CAN I DO? please help i’m about to go crazy this is too much….
http://pestcemetery.com The Bug Doctor

I’m surprised that you are being bitten-generally earwigs do not bite. Make sure you’ve got your ID right to save you from possibly spending too much time and $$ in the wrong direction. If indeed it is earwigs, this article should help. http://pestcemetery.com/top-3-reasons-you-have-earwigs-the-7-links-to-get-rid-of-them/

Good luck
Holly

They took over my house I have bites from them, I found them in my bed, I’m eight months pregnant. My mom is worried it’ll harm the baby.
http://pestcemetery.com The Bug Doctor

I don’t see how they could harm in this way- make sure you get the ID correct — I have a feeling it may be something else
Matt

We have had an indoor earwig problem since we’ve been watering the flower beds surrounding the perimeter of our house. We need to water but what can be done to control this problem?
http://pestcemetery.com The Bug Doctor

Try the earwig traps I posted about. If that fails or you need help inside check out my other articles for tips and techniques. http://pestcemetery.com/category/earwigs/

I’ll be happy to help further if you need.
Martell_daniel

Dear Earwig Lovers,

I had a recent experience with an earwig that was horrible. I was sleeping on the couch the other evening and felt something fall onto my ear then continue to crawl in. After over two minutes of panic, an earwig crawled out of my ear and fell onto the couch. This actually DID happen! It was disgusting! Sleep Well
http://pestcemetery.com The Bug Doctor

That’ll keep you up at night–glad it at least turned out without a hospital trip & a pair of pliers.
mov51

i have been sleeping in the basement for almost a year and all of a sudden i start seeing earwigs now this was a few weeks before a drought. i don’t know how to get rid of them without sealing up the house i really don’t want to spend all this money because we rent and now i have a house centipede problem help?
Maverick Vogelgesang

i have set up a few traps but the house centipedes are eating the bugs before they can get in the traps.i am mov51 i just signed in w/ google.
http://pestcemetery.com The Bug Doctor

House centipedes must be hungry Be patient as I’m sure you’ll get some soon
http://pestcemetery.com The Bug Doctor

Moisture in a basement is a hard thing to control but that’s most likely why they’re there. Try baiting outside with Niban and also reducing hiding spots close to the home. Niban is available online or at any DIY pest control store. Works great.
Maverick Vogelgesang

is that safe for dogs? are they not attracted or will it not hurt them?
http://pestcemetery.com The Bug Doctor

You sprinkle very little across the base of the home (soil or grassy areas) or in places where earwigs spend the day. i.e.; under splash blocks, under planters etc. Yes it could harm a dog but they shouldn’t be able to sniff or lick up the small granules in any significant amount and even a small dog would need a cup full or more to have a problem.
Maverick Vogelgesang

thank you so much now i can do that and sleep in my room again
Maverick Vogelgesang

h iv e had the trap up for a week nuntin bet house centipede tracks
Guest

Martell_daniel….. same thing happened to me 2 nights ago! Happened in the middle of the night while I was sleeping…woke up to feeling something crawling in and out of my ear…I shot up and went to the bathroom mirror and must have screamed like a teenage girl in a horror movie when this earwig came out. Next morning I sprayed some Ortho Home Defense Max around the perimeter of my house and around all doors and windows. Seems to have done the trick….so far.
http://pestcemetery.com The Bug Doctor

I haven’t met too many ‘earwig lovers on here–but I’ll be glad to pass on the message…
J Lamando-ohlsson

Hi. So I’m freaking out a bit. I just moved into a new condo, and as far as I can tell there’s no moisture of any sort in my room.. But I found an earwig in an old box I keep some stuff in. It was just chilling there.. It didn’t even move when I found it, but it was still alive. I live on the 6th floor.. Do you think I have an earwig problem? I’m hoping the little guy just got lost and eneded up in the wrong place?
http://pestcemetery.com The Bug Doctor

I think if you don’t see any more–than you might have just either had a rogue one but more likely you accidentally moved one in with you in your boxes. Give it some time to be for sure.
Swalmsle

fyi just had an earwig removed from my ear canal so not always an old wives tale… god I wish it were though.
http://pestcemetery.com The Bug Doctor

as long as it didn’t bore into your brain the old wives tale theme is still in tact–
Hope you’re Ok
Alyssa

We just moved into a new apartment at the beginning of the month. The first two days we had several roaches and earwigs coming under the front door, garage door, and somewhere in the bathroom. We had the complex come spray on the third day which has pretty much solved the problem by the doors. However, every day when I wake up there is one earwig in my bathtub. For a while I just ran the water to wash it down the drain, then one day I went to do it and the earwig ran down the drain on its own. So, for the last few days I’ve been spraying bug spray around the drain, and by every door just to be safe. As a result, I’ve found dead earwigs in my tub for the last two days. Our tub is directly below our air conditioning unit, so I’m wondering if they are coming from there or up through the drain. Either way, what can I do to stop it?
http://pestcemetery.com The Bug Doctor

I doubt up the drain as an ‘originating’ source. However they may scoot down there once in–especially if they’re trying to escape spray– you’re on to something with the a/c. If you can divert the water that would help a bunch–if not, use the water to your advantage. Pest granules are usually activated with moisture–why not sprinkle some on the soil just outside that wall and the a/c moisture will cause the granules to spring into action and that zone will not be one they can’t survive in. Hope this helps.

The legend of the Earwig

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