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.
Our homes are for the most part a paradise which earwigs enjoy. Even a meticulously well maintained home can be over run. We give the bugs everything they need to thrive and even maintain these standards all summer long without being the wiser. Our landscaping habits and constant supply of water give the earwig every advantage. While one year of ideal conditions may not be enough to produce massive numbers, just a few years of conducive surroundings can make the population explode.
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.
From our ready made earwig habitats it is an easy transition under the threshold or over the runners of a back sliding glass door. Earwigs are not great climbers or very agile but even the smallest cracks are easily managed by this insect. Once inside they seek out moisture and that is why you'll find them in bathrooms or kitchens if they make it that far. They can and do sneak in many other areas like window cracks or foundation faults but doors are the most common for the mere fact so many use what you've provided just outside this spot. For these reasons the earwig is a difficult insect to eliminate and it can seem fruitless to treat time and again just to have new earwigs just take the dead ones place. It's always better to eliminate the harborage areas first and to treat later when it comes to the earwig.
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.
Our homes are for the most part a paradise which earwigs enjoy. Even a meticulously well maintained home can be over run. We give the bugs everything they need to thrive and even maintain these standards all summer long without being the wiser. Our landscaping habits and constant supply of water give the earwig every advantage. While one year of ideal conditions may not be enough to produce massive numbers, just a few years of conducive surroundings can make the population explode.
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.
From our ready made earwig habitats it is an easy transition under the threshold or over the runners of a back sliding glass door. Earwigs are not great climbers or very agile but even the smallest cracks are easily managed by this insect. Once inside they seek out moisture and that is why you'll find them in bathrooms or kitchens if they make it that far. They can and do sneak in many other areas like window cracks or foundation faults but doors are the most common for the mere fact so many use what you've provided just outside this spot. For these reasons the earwig is a difficult insect to eliminate and it can seem fruitless to treat time and again just to have new earwigs just take the dead ones place. It's always better to eliminate the harborage areas first and to treat later when it comes to the earwig.
About the Author:
Keeping Earwigs Out Of Your Ears is as easy as putting the correct information between them. Stop Earwig Populations before they explode and infest your home.
