There are a lot of pests that give homeowners the heebie-jeebies and for many, earwigs are high on the list. The earwig is a pest that gets its name from the Old English words “ear wicga,” which roughly translates to “ear wiggler”. If that doesn't make your skin crawl, we're not sure what would.
As you might have guessed, this is because the skinny body of this creepy crawly makes it easy to slither into an ear. Gross.
Fortunately, this is just an old superstition - instances of earwigs being found in someone's ear are few and far between. They mostly get a bad rap for being a nuisance pest that’s annoying (and unnerving) to find around the home. But we believe people deserve to be able to relax and unwind without worrying about pests like these lurking.
That’s why we are talking about how to get rid of earwigs.
In this article, we’ll dive into everything you ought to know about these pests, which are also commonly called “pincher bugs” due to their pincher-looking appendages.
We will cover:
What is The Earwig?
Effective Earwig Prevention Strategies
How to Get Rid of Earwigs
Choosing Pest Control in Southern NH and Maine
After reading this article, we hope that you’ll feel more confident that there are effective ways to keep these pests out.
What is The Earwig?
An earwig is a slender brown bug that has pincher-like forceps on its back abdomen (hence, why it is often also referred to as a “pincher bug”).
Although their “pinchers” are really meant for hunting prey and defense, they will pinch people if they are picked up and feel threatened. Most of the time, if you come into contact with an earwig, it’s going to run away as quickly as possible.
Earwigs do not spread disease and are more of a nuisance pest to homeowners who might be unsettled at the sight of them.
Earwigs prefer moist and dark spaces so they are commonly found in basements, bathrooms, and crawl spaces.
Effective Earwig Prevention Strategies
Despite only being a nuisance pest (and not a threat), we understand why people do not want these pests in their home. Nobody wants to knowingly share their home with bugs.
In order to help keep earwigs out, we’ve rounded up some earwig prevention tips. Although your goal is how to repel earwigs, these strategies will work on other pests, as well.
Eliminate moisture
Since many bugs, like earwigs, prefer moisture, you should take steps to make your basement or bathrooms dry with waterproofing and/or a dehumidifier. This is also helpful in preventing water damage. Seek out leaky pipes or faucets and fix them.
Seal cracks and other entry points
To keep bugs out of your home, you’ll also want to think about how they’re making it inside in the first place. Most of the time, they’re making their way inside through a tiny crack or crevice. Seal up any cracks that you’re able to, patch screens, and repair doors.
Clean up the landscape
Within your yard, earwigs love to hide in piles of wet leaves or rotting wood. Because of this, doing a landscape clean-up around your property can eliminate some of their hangout spaces and reduce the earwig population on your property.
Declutter
Once inside, pests like earwigs are rarely just hanging around out in the open. One way to address these pests is to declutter and eliminate their hiding spots. This will help make your home a less comfortable place for pests to hang around!
How to Get Rid of Earwigs
If you’ve already spotted earwigs in your home, you might be looking for ways to get rid of an existing problem. We know there are a lot of homemade earwig trap ideas online, but these are not highly effective. They typically involve trying to draw earwigs out of hiding and into a trap filled with a liquid in which they’ll drown.
It’s a lot more effective to invest in professional pest control services that are going to start keeping pests out in the first place. A pest control expert can also help you address any pests that have already found their way inside. Sticky traps often work better than homemade concoctions. You can also vacuum up pests.
Going forward, regular pest control works by forming a barrier around your home which will shield pests from coming inside.
Choosing Pest Control in Southern NH and Southern Maine
You have choices when it comes to earwig pest control in New Hampshire and Maine. There are plenty of companies offering pest control services that cover the earwig (as well as many other pests).
At Seacoast Turf Care, serving New Hampshire, Massachusetts, and Maine, our pest control services cover most of the common household pests, including earwigs. It also covers mice!
With effective, quarterly treatments, you can keep many pests out of your home. This is important as sometimes a simple bug problem can become a full-blown infestation if given the chance. While earwigs rarely become a full-blown infestation, other pests, like German Cockroaches (as an example), can breed quickly and your problem can multiply. Some of these pests can even carry diseases.
If you truly want peace of mind that you’re keeping pests away, investing in professional pest control is a wise choice. By taking the right steps, you’ll be able to get back to enjoying life as usual.
Want to learn more about how pest control services can protect your family and give you peace of mind? At Seacoast Turf Care, we service NH towns near Stratham, North Hampton, Exeter and many more. Get pest control pricing for your Southern NH, Southern Maine, or Northeastern Massachusetts property.
Image Sources: earwig, earwig in grass
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