Earwig control is one of those things that most people don’t think of until they spot one of these little brown bugs sprinting across their kitchen counters. The pincers these little guys sport on their hind quarters are threatening signs of the potential pain an earwig can inflict, but they are actually only really painful if you are the size of a bug. Nonetheless, earwig removal will easily become top priority when a homeowner spots one wiggling his or her way out of a shower or sink drain.
Earwig removal and prevention is one of the easier types of pest removal. Good earwig control is also similar to many types of pests, where it is much easier to prevent the access an earwig has to your home than it is to exterminate one once it is already there and storing eggs.
Prevention is the Best Method of Earwig Extermination
Preventing earwigs from entering a home is the best pest control method. Knowing the areas that an earwig is drawn toward will help a homeowner to make the right decisions on the best type of pest prevention. The following entry points to a home can draw in a single bug or an entire colony:
- The areas around doors and windows can be moist and drafty, creating a perfect home for a colony of earwigs. Keeping these areas sealed will keep earwigs under control.
- Drains are locations unsuspecting earwigs enjoy. The food garbage left in the disposal, combined with the moisture of a drain, can draw the attention of an earwig or two that will end up being an unpleasant surprise for a homeowner.
- Basements and home foundations are havens for earwigs. Keeping these areas as dry and clean as possible will limit the exposure of a home to earwigs.
Keeping up with home maintenance is definitely a key for earwig control and prevention. Doing it once doesn’t always mean the job is done either. By carefully and regularly inspecting areas around a home that are subject to invasion by earwigs, earwig prevention will be far easier than exterminating complete colonies.
Outdoor Prevention Methods
Earwigs generally prefer the cold, moist and wet areas of the outdoors rather than being indoors. However, when a colony makes its home too close for a homeowner’s comfort, it can be a difficult process to get rid of potentially hundreds of earwigs.
To exterminate earwigs, the most important thing is to target the locations they prefer, followed by maintenance techniques to keep earwigs under control. By following these tips, a homeowner can best prevent earwig infestation:
- Find a commercially available pesticide and spray it around the perimeter of a home at designated intervals. Getting a product that takes care of earwig eggs, as well as adult species, is also important. Depending on the frequency of earwig issues, increasing the applications during the prime reproductive times for earwigs (spring and summer) may also be an advisable idea.
- Have the areas around the foundation of a home inspected for drainage issues. It can be a fix as simple as spreading landscaping pebbles or as complicated as having the dirt regraded to slope away from the home.
- Wood window sills and door jams should be properly maintained. The moist burrows these areas provide can be a haven for earwigs. Using caulk and maintaining paint and sealants is important. Replacing damaged or rotting wood is also an important pest prevention method.
- Some homeowners find powder versions of pesticides to be more effective than aerosol versions.
Applying pest control powders around basement access areas to a home can be a great method for preventing earwig entry. Be sure to understand if the product was meant for indoor or outdoor use, and how safe it is in the event a pet or child accidentally comes into contact with the substance.
Earwig control is not much different from many other pest control methods; preventing earwigs is a lot easier than finding an infestation and having to exterminate entire colonies. By keeping up with maintenance chores and decreasing the opportunity for earwigs to enter a home, earwig control can be easy for homeowners to manage.