Meet the Pest
Most people that are looking for how to get rid of earwigs are doing so more out disgust than anything else. Despite having pincer-looking tentacles and spiky-looking antennas, an earwig is actually a harmless insect. An earwig bite certainly can nip a human, but there is generally only some minor irritation that is far less damaging than a mosquito bite.
The bite is typically not from the pincers, which are actually a defense mechanism for survival in the wild. Earwigs develop in colonies that typically reside in damp, dark, wet areas. Earwigs also often have wings but most species don’t fly.
Bed & Breakfast
Being able to get rid of earwigs generally begins with understanding how they get into your home and where they like to hide. Outdoors, you can find earwigs in damp areas near the foundation of your home or under rocks. Any holes earwigs can use as a burrow makes a great home. The damp areas of a basement or around sinks and drains are all preferred homes for an earwig's residence.
Favorite meals of earwigs include fresh fruits, potatoes, lettuce and corn silks. The leaves of an avocado can be one of the more shocking and unsuspecting places to have an earwig emerge. Earwigs also like to feast on favorites such as garbage.
An earwig actually got its name from an urban legend, where it was said that the insect crawls into the ears of unsuspecting humans and infects their brains. This is entirely untrue and quite a lofty reputation for a bug that has no sources of venom.
Quit Bugging Me!
Getting rid of earwigs is pretty easy for homeowners. Earwigs that have made it inside your home are often subject to a frantic smashing with the closest shoe. But some of the best ways to kill earwigs quickly include:
- Use a shallow pan of vegetable oil near areas where you have seen earwigs. The oil will trap and kill the earwigs. The vegetable oil can be re-used, but the pan should be emptied of the dead insects daily.
- Dust the areas where earwigs are entering with boric acid, a relatively harmless chemical for pest control. The acid will only work if an earwig has to walk through the dusted area.
- Pesticides that are readily available in grocery stores and home improvement centers can help tackle an immediate infestation.
- The vacuum is also a great way to kill earwigs. These small bugs will scatter instantly, so if a homeowner spots a colony source, a vacuum is the best way to snap up these bugs; they will make an immediate dash as soon as their indoor home is exposed. It is important to empty the vacuum container outdoors in case any survived the disturbance.
Good Riddance
Earwigs are relatively harmless but are definitely hard to tolerate due to their daunting pincers and the way they hang around areas most people don’t want to be. Some do-it-yourself pest control methods to get rid of earwigs long-term include the following:
- Seal the entryways around doors and windows. A little caulk can go a long way when it comes to pest control.
- The area around the home's foundation is a magnet for moisture and consequently, it is a farm for earwigs. Using good drainage control around a home will help in preventing earwigs and can be as simple as a layer of landscaping pebbles that will help rainwater to drain.
- Regularly applying a pesticide around the perimeter of a home will help to keep the earwig population at bay. Earwig eggs are generally laid in the spring or summer and can be up to 100 eggs per female. By staying on top of the external earwig colonies, it can reduce the chances of earwigs moving inside.
The complete extermination of earwigs is nearly impossible, but there are several do-it-yourself ways that will keep them out of a house where they belong. By focusing on the entry points for earwigs, homeowners will be making it much harder for earwigs to find a home indoors.