Earwigs are not some special bug that cannot be killed. They do have wings but seldom fly and they are not super fast so they escape panicked homeowners with rolled up newspapers. Still, earwigs can be very frustrating in that you kill one in your home and an hour later up pops another. This sort of thing occurs all summer long and no matter how you spray or use home remedies the earwig keeps coming.
Earwigs lay 50 to 60 eggs early in the spring and the female is unique in that she guards the brood from enemies. The babies are born looking like the adults and grow via gradual metamorphosis. The insect is basically a scavenger eating some plants, other insects but can dine on many foods. They are nocturnal creatures and prefer to stay secluded in moist conditions during the day. Earwigs have fully developed wings but seldom fly and they are also armed with pincers but those too are rarely used. People have reported being pinched by earwigs but the forceps are not even strong enough to break a humans skin. It would seem that with such small numbers being produced and there seemingly frail way of life the earwig would not be such a problem for the average home but in reality they can at times infest by the hundreds and be very difficult to control.
Earwigs live in the woods just fine but our homes offer the perfect place for them to thrive as well. No amount of prevention is enough to completely thwart the earwig and in reality having a balanced population of this and other bugs is actually a good thing. Earwigs are mostly scavengers and help recycle debris around our house. The problem of population growth is not due to extreme egg laying but because we give such conducive conditions to the development of the large numbers that eventually invade our homes. When we constantly water and re-mulch and put decorative statues and planters on the ground we complete the needs list of the earwig. Moisture is critical for their survival and being nocturnal they find not only the safety and darkness under our landscape but the dampness that collects makes for the perfect nest. Over time these conditions allow the earwig to explode in numbers and that is when we have such persistent problems in our homes.
Earwigs cannot survive for very long in dry conditions and for that reason they do not purposely intend to come inside. Moisture is key to earwigs and where ever it collects is where you will find them. Mulch and leaf litter is the most common spot to find not only adults but also nesting sites and most of the young. These environments hold a lot of moisture and also provide dark places in which they rest in during the day. In the fall when earwigs prepare to hibernate they dig chambers deep into the soil which is another reason they are very plentiful in this area. Dry spots around your home may have an earwig or two but not for long. As they begin to dry out they will move looking for a damp place in which to nest.
The earwig is not the most agile insect but they are very good at finding ways into a home. Small cracks in the foundation or gaps in doors and windows more than enough for an earwig to enter. Front door thresholds and sliding glass doors are in my experience the most used entry of an earwig. Not only because these areas are difficult to seal but also because we encourage earwigs to be in the general area at all times. Our welcome mats provide perfect cover while our decorative statues or planters do the same. The dampness that collects at the bottom of these objects is a 'welcome mat' of their own for the earwig and since it is so close to the main entries it is only logical that earwigs come in these areas far more often. So it is not that the earwig has built up some great resistance to insecticides or that they are extremely tough and can't be killed. It is however that we the homeowner provide everything they need and continue this long enough until the problem needs major treatments to bring it back down to a acceptable level.
Earwigs lay 50 to 60 eggs early in the spring and the female is unique in that she guards the brood from enemies. The babies are born looking like the adults and grow via gradual metamorphosis. The insect is basically a scavenger eating some plants, other insects but can dine on many foods. They are nocturnal creatures and prefer to stay secluded in moist conditions during the day. Earwigs have fully developed wings but seldom fly and they are also armed with pincers but those too are rarely used. People have reported being pinched by earwigs but the forceps are not even strong enough to break a humans skin. It would seem that with such small numbers being produced and there seemingly frail way of life the earwig would not be such a problem for the average home but in reality they can at times infest by the hundreds and be very difficult to control.
Earwigs live in the woods just fine but our homes offer the perfect place for them to thrive as well. No amount of prevention is enough to completely thwart the earwig and in reality having a balanced population of this and other bugs is actually a good thing. Earwigs are mostly scavengers and help recycle debris around our house. The problem of population growth is not due to extreme egg laying but because we give such conducive conditions to the development of the large numbers that eventually invade our homes. When we constantly water and re-mulch and put decorative statues and planters on the ground we complete the needs list of the earwig. Moisture is critical for their survival and being nocturnal they find not only the safety and darkness under our landscape but the dampness that collects makes for the perfect nest. Over time these conditions allow the earwig to explode in numbers and that is when we have such persistent problems in our homes.
Earwigs cannot survive for very long in dry conditions and for that reason they do not purposely intend to come inside. Moisture is key to earwigs and where ever it collects is where you will find them. Mulch and leaf litter is the most common spot to find not only adults but also nesting sites and most of the young. These environments hold a lot of moisture and also provide dark places in which they rest in during the day. In the fall when earwigs prepare to hibernate they dig chambers deep into the soil which is another reason they are very plentiful in this area. Dry spots around your home may have an earwig or two but not for long. As they begin to dry out they will move looking for a damp place in which to nest.
The earwig is not the most agile insect but they are very good at finding ways into a home. Small cracks in the foundation or gaps in doors and windows more than enough for an earwig to enter. Front door thresholds and sliding glass doors are in my experience the most used entry of an earwig. Not only because these areas are difficult to seal but also because we encourage earwigs to be in the general area at all times. Our welcome mats provide perfect cover while our decorative statues or planters do the same. The dampness that collects at the bottom of these objects is a 'welcome mat' of their own for the earwig and since it is so close to the main entries it is only logical that earwigs come in these areas far more often. So it is not that the earwig has built up some great resistance to insecticides or that they are extremely tough and can't be killed. It is however that we the homeowner provide everything they need and continue this long enough until the problem needs major treatments to bring it back down to a acceptable level.
About the Author:
Don't fall for the Folk Lore and myths. Get the correct information andKeep Your Home Earwig Free.
