Introduction
If you really want to get rid of earwigs, the key to earwig control is disrupting migration of earwigs from outdoors to indoors because earwigs rarely establish colonies indoors. Earwigs, Forficula auricularia and Euborellia annulipes, are brown or black insects with a distinctive tail, similar to that of the silverfish, but with two “prongs” pointing inward rather than three prongs splayed outward. Earwigs get their name from an urban legend whereby during the evening they prey on people’s brains by crawling in their ears. Obviously this isn’t true, but finding a large earwig infestation can be an unsettling discovery. Thankfully, getting rid of earwigs doesn’t require a lot of effort. The rest of this article focuses on how to prevent an earwig infestation and how to get rid of earwigs if they have become established indoors.
Ways to get rid of earwigs
Eliminate hiding places. Search out and remove damp, dark hiding places such as leaf debris, wood piles, upturned pots and underneath stepping stones. This step alone will help more than anything else you can do.
Encourage hungry birds into your garden by setting out a bird bath or feeders. Birds hunt and consume amazing amounts of insects.
Make earwigs traps by mimicking their favorite hiding places. Loosely roll sections of newspaper, secure with a rubber band and soak in water until thoroughly wet.
Place the homemade earwig traps in areas where damage has been found. The traps should be in place before nightfall. Use several traps for best results.
Pick up the traps every morning. Earwigs will have found their way deep inside the rolls of newspaper during the night.
Dispose of the traps in a plastic bag or tightly covered container. Do not compost.
Fill low-sided cans with 1/2 inch vegetable oil and place on the ground. Earwigs will find their way in and drown.
How to get rid of earwigs >
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