Earwigs In Your Ear?

Earwigs…those nasty, pincer wielding insects whose very name inspired a myth that they burrow in your ear and make a home in your brain. Thankfully for us, that rumor is false, but it doesn’t make earwigs any less nasty. They are found on all continents except Antarctica and with 2,000 different species, they are one of the smallest insect orders. As omnivores, earwigs eat a variety of other insects and plants. Farmers often place the blame of crop damage on earwigs since these bugs are mostly garden pests. Earwigs love dark, wet and musty environments however, so oftentimes, just tidying the garden and removing dense foliage and dead leaves will reduce their numbers. The biggest problem is when earwigs come inside your house because they can find many dark, wet places to hide.

General Information

Earwigs have 3 body sections, a head, thorax and abdomen and are typically about ⅝ inch long. They have a pair of wings, though not all species use them for flying. A flying earwig is a pretty rare sight to see. The pincers on the lower part of their abdomen is what gains the most attention. Their pincers are used as forceps to fend of predators and intimidate their foe. Female earwigs lay about 60 eggs at a time and are fiercely protective of them. She stays with her eggs until they hatch and even up until their first molt. As a devoted mother, female earwigs fight off predators coming too close to her young to keep them safe. Earwigs are sometimes beneficial in your garden since they eat aphids and mites, however they become a pest themselves when they start feasting on your garden plants. They love leafy greens but are also known to slurp up sticky juices of fruits from your orchard. Seedlings, immature plants, soft fruits and young fruits and vegetables may be badly damaged by earwigs so pesticides to control them keeps your garden healthy.

The Signs of an Infestation

Earwigs love moist, dark environments. They love hiding out in your flower beds and garden but the trouble comes when earwigs become so numerous outside and start to make their way inside. They sense the wet, dark areas in your home and will gravitate toward your kitchen, bathroom and laundry areas in search of wet clothing and rags, drippy faucets or musty, damp basements. Earwigs rarely attack humans but if they feel threatened, earwigs can bite or pinch, leaving you with a stinging wound but these insects rarely pose danger to humans. Mostly, earwigs are just gross and horrifying to find inside, enjoying the wet bath towel you just hung to dry or cuddling up under leaky sink cabinet. They are not social insects and really do not prefer living indoors, however if their numbers have grown too large outside, it is inevitable you will find them inside. You need professional pest control to assist you in removing these insects without any damage to your gardens or toxic affect to your family.

Treatment

Pointe Pest Control is educated in all types of infesting pests, both indoors and outdoors. Keeping your home and yard free from an overabundance of any pests is what we are good at. While we can’t remove every, single outdoor pest, there are many effective methods we employ when it comes to forming a protective barrier around your home and drastically reducing the number of pests outside. We use only the most eco friendly, non-toxic methods to keep our planet and your family safe, yet efficiently control pests in your yard. Call us today to control the earwigs in your yard and home.