What Do Earwigs Look Like
- Size: Earwigs are between ¼ and one inch long.
- Color: Earwigs vary in color from pale brown with dark markings to reddish brown to black.
- Description: Earwigs have elongated, flattened bodies with two pairs of wings. Their hind wings usually folding underneath their front wings. Most pronounced is a pincher in the hind quarters.
- Lifespan: Earwigs have an average lifespan of one year.
General Description
Earwigs (pincher bugs) are found in five continents except for the poles, where it’s just too cold for them. Earwigs are pests that are active at night and seek damp and chilly areas. They prefer to live and eat outdoors. Indoor encounters are rarer, and infestations unlikely. When you find them indoors, you probably disturbed their hiding place while cleaning.
Earwigs can be a pest problem inside and out of your home. If there is an infestation in the garden, they can chew up plants and flowers. They also eat fruits and vegetables and generally leave a mess. Earwigs inside your house is a less likely problem. Here are tips on how you know you have earwigs and what you can do to keep them out of your home.
Earwigs Follow the Food Trail
Earwigs do not eat wood the way termites do. They don’t make tunnels in like ants. They go into homes because it is a dry, safe place to hide. They also have plenty of opportunities for food. Earwigs are not picky eaters. They eat rotting vegetation in the yard, many of your live plants and even fruit fallen from trees. Earwigs can often be found scavenging your garbage. That includes small crumbs, food left on countertops, and even food in your cupboards.
Earwigs Look for Safe Shelter
Harsh weather is another reason earwigs might enter your home. Excessive heat or cold can motivate these pests indoors. They can get inside thru tiny cracks. These insects multiply very quickly. Earwigs are typically found near front or back doors. You can also find them in areas where they can hide while having access to food or water.
Earwigs Live Near Dampness
Outdoors, earwigs multiply fastest in wet leaves and damp soil. When they move indoors, there are many places an earwig can be comfortable. That includes under kitchen and bathroom sinks, in the basement, or in crawl spaces. An earwig likes to have access to moist shelter that is also temperature-friendly.
Earwigs Pest Control and Best Earwig Killer
Suppose you have a large earwig infestation in the home. Call Moat Earwig Pest Control Specialist to treat your house and property. We are known as Menifee’s best best earwig killer. To keep them away in the future, follow these steps:
- Vacuuming Often: Vacuuming sucks up wandering earwigs from your floors. It will also reduce and earwig’s food sources. Vacuum daily to help get rid of earwigs.
- Dehumidifying Your Home: Place a fan or dehumidifier in areas of your house that are damp. That includes bathrooms or under your kitchen sink. When earwigs don’t have a moist place to call their own, they may move back outside.
- Keeping Entries Secure: Earwigs get in the home by coming in your doors, windows, and any small cracks. Caulk window sills and put a cloth under your doors to keep earwigs from getting inside. Make sure that screens on windows are fully intact. When you find a hole in a screen, repair it. This will help minimize entry points for earwigs to enter your house.
- Fix Broken Pipes: Earwigs seek out moist and cool places to look for food and live. Examine your home for leaking pipes or drains. Fix all leaky plumbing to help eliminate the earwig’s ideal environment.
- Remove Leaves, Stones, and Woodpiles: Earwigs prefer outdoor settings that contain quality food sources and protection. Remove piles of leaves, rock, and old wood that make a safe home for earwigs.
- Keep Vegetation Away From the House: Keep mulch, dead leaves, or vegetation away from the home’s foundation. These are an ideal food source and living space for earwigs. Keeping compost away from the foundation will keep earwigs from moving into the house.
- Clean Drainpipes and Gutters: Regularly clean your drains and gutters. Backed-up gutters create damp spots near the house. They are a perfect place for earwigs to live.
- Bush and Tree Trimming: Get rid of overly shady and damp areas by trimming back the trees and shrubs in your yard.