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While they may be quite unappealing, earwigs are harmless to humans. Get to know them and check out our tips for keeping them away from your garden, where they happily munch on sprouts, leaves, and flowers.
Earwig behaviour
Earwigs hide in cool, dark, moist places, such as under stones, in garden waste, in the tubular frames of garden furniture, or in cracks and crevices. They often emerge at dusk to search for food. Their presence in houses or other buildings is usually accidental.
The earwig legend: Earwigs got their name from an enduring myth that they crawl into people’s ears to gnaw on their eardrums. Since these insects do look for hiding places in narrow cavities, perhaps one of them did enter someone’s ear by accident. Who knows?
Are earwigs useful or bothersome?
Useful
- Earwigs play a beneficial role in the garden, feeding on decaying or organic matter and insect larvae, such as those of slugs and aphids.
Bothersome
- They may chew on the tender shoots, leaves and blossoms of ornamental plants and vegetables.
- Earwigs sometimes gather in large numbers in the garden.
- They sometimes make their way into the house.
Tips on keeping earwigs away from your home
- Start gardening as early as possible in the spring to give your plants a head start before the earwig larvae emerge in June.
Clear the soil around the house foundation: pick up dead leaves, wood mulch and debris, for example.
Repair any outside taps that are leaking.
Make sure downspouts direct water away from the foundation.
How to get rid of earwigs?
Since earwigs can be useful, you may wish to reduce their number rather than eliminate them completely. Attract them with small bowls or saucers containing a little fish oil. Then drown them in soapy water.
You can also sprinkle diatomaceous earth in places where they cluster in large numbers, such as cracks and crevices.