How to Get Rid of Earwigs: An Authentic Guide Homeowners

The pincer-tailed insects that appear in your home or garden space are common occurrences throughout America. American citizens regularly ask themselves about effective methods to how to get rid of earwigs while stopping their infestation from spreading throughout their homes. The following text explores the earwig insect’s nature, along with their invasion patterns and flying ability, and provides essential information about their complete elimination.

What Are Earwig Bugs?

An earwig is an elongated insect of the order Dermaptera among over 2,000 species present worldwide, and with more than 20 species in just the United States. The earwig bugs are identified with the help of pincer-like clamps or cerci at the end of their abdomens. The petrifying appearance of the insects notwithstanding, earwig bugs are more often than not quite harmless to people, and the fact that they do not enter people’s ears is one of the most widespread misconceptions about them.

The adult form of earwigs is typically dark brown, half an inch to one inch long, has six legs, two antennae, and a pair of short, rarely used wings folded under tough forewings. They are nocturnal feeders and will eat anything provided it is rotting plant matter, flowers, fruits, or insects themselves. They tend to hide from the strong light during the day, and it’s the moist and dark places they go to, such as under leaves and mulch, stones, or garden debris.

Understanding Earwig Infestation

The situation at hand when these insects make themselves at home in your house or garden is referred to as an earwig infestation. Earwig infestation generally happen during warm wet months or when the outside living conditions are extremely harsh forcing the bugs to seek shelter and food and water inside the buildings. So, indoors you might find earwigs in bathrooms, kitchens, basements, or anywhere damp and dark.

While earwig infestation rarely causes structural damage, they can be a nuisance and may harm young plants. The presence of several earwig bugs in a house is evidence that the habitat is suitable for their thriving, and that the insect population may soon grow and become a serious problem.

Do Earwigs Fly?

Earwig bugs fly a question often heard. It is true that earwigs have wings but they are poor fliers and it is very rare that they fly. The front wings of the insects usually hide their wings, and most earwigs would rather walk instead of using their wings for flight. So if earwig bugs are seen darting around, there’s no reason to worry because they aren’t gonna fly.

How to Get Rid of Earwigs

Well then, I guess it’s time to deal with the primary issue of how to get rid of earwigs and to keep the place from infested by earwigs in the future. See the list of validated, workable strategies below:

Eliminate Moisture

Via dehumidifiers or fans, it is possible to eliminate the moisture that bugs particularly earwigs like in the basement, bathroom, and kitchen, thus making these places become drier. This will minimize the occurrence of earwigs in these areas.

Seal Entry Points

A thorough inspection of all the cracks near the doors, windows, and the foundation should be check, and the cracks should then be immediately sealed using silicon caulk. This way, earwig bugs will kept out of your house.

Remove Outdoor Debris

As simple as getting rid of the soil covering your house, removing leaf piles and garden garbage around your house’s foundation will make the place less attractive to the earwigs, and their presence is less likely to increase so rapidly.

Vacuum Regularly

Regular cleaning with the vacuum cleaner is necessary so that not only earwig bugs but also their food, which are the attracting factors, are being remove. That way, your home won’t fetch them.

Use Traps

You can go ahead and make the traps at home. Such a trap you can make soaking a couple of layers of newspapers in water and then rolling them up to make paper cylinders, which you can place where the pests gather. For this trap to work, you will need to clean it regularly, as earwigs are likely to drown, and the water will get dirty. Alternatively, a solution of oil and soy sauce in little trays (not deeper than an inch) will attract the bugs, and the oil will drown them. This method also effective with the traps bought at the stores. However, don’t forget to change the bait and renew the traps if you have the commercial ones.

Apply Boric Acid or Insecticides

Make sure you follow all the preventive measures first, and then you can sprinkle some boric acid where the earwigs are most likely to appear, and never forget to keep it in a place out of the reach of your kids and pets. If the problem is severe, you might need to contact a professional exterminator. The experts would be the exemplary ones who extend their services in fighting the earwig problem both at home and in your yard.

Conclusion

Managing an earwig infestation could be a bit of a shock, but with the right methods, you can tackle and win back your home and garden. Remember, the earwig bugs are more of a pest than a risk, and their presence poses no significant health risk. Your decision on how to get rid of earwigs became easier by the use of the tips on how to eliminate earwigs and keep your living spaces free of any pests. Nevertheless, when the problem is too big, do not hesitate to call for help from an expert in pest control.

If you choose to proceed with these necessary actions now, you will not have to deal with any earwigs for an entire year.