Golden Hills Pest Control is the top choice for Sacramento County pest control & extermination. We have over 30 years experience, and have helped thousands of homeowners and businesses with earwig extermination and other pest control.
Golden Hills Pest Control
Earwigs Control Services in Sacramento
IDENTIFICATION
The adult earwig is readily identified by a pair of prominent appendages that resemble forceps at the tail end of its body. The adult body is about 3/4- inch long and reddish brown. Most earwigs prefer to live in cool, wet environments that are not often disturbed. Earwigs crawl inside homes through cracks, gaps, and holes that lead inside the structure. They can even be carried into the structure through common activities like bringing in the newspaper, boxes, or books. The earwig gets its skin-crawling name from long-standing myths claiming the insect can climb inside a person’s ear and either live there or feed on their brain but this myth is unfounded. Earwigs are capable of biting but despite their fierce appearance, earwigs generally don’t attack humans.
Earwigs thrive in dark, cool, moist environments. They are most active and feed mostly at night. Earwigs are commonly found hiding under loose soil, debris, or dense vegetation.
Female earwigs dig cells in the ground in the fall and winter where they lay masses of 30 or more eggs. Eggs hatch into small, light brown nymphs and remain in the cell protected and fed by their mother until their first molt. Second-instar nymphs may forage at night but still return to the nest during the day. Third- and fourth-instar nymphs are darker and forage on their own. Generally there is one generation a year.
The adult earwig is readily identified by a pair of prominent appendages that resemble forceps at the tail end of its body. Used for defense, the forceps are somewhat curved in the male but straighter in the female. The adult body is about 3/4 inch long and reddish brown. Most species have wings under short, hard wing covers, but they seldom fly. Immature earwigs look like adults except they are smaller and lack wings.
Contrary to popular myth and despite their ferocious appearance, earwigs generally don’t attack humans, although they are capable of biting if trapped in clothing or sat upon.
Earwigs LIFE CYCLE
Earwigs feed most actively at night and seek out dark, cool, moist places to hide during the day. Common hiding places are under loose clods of soil, boards, or dense growth of vines or weeds or even within fruit damaged by other pests such as snails, birds, or cutworms.
Female earwigs dig cells in the ground in the fall and winter where they lay masses of 30 or more eggs. Eggs hatch into small, light brown nymphs and remain in the cell protected and fed by their mother until their first molt. Second-instar nymphs may forage at night but still return to the nest during the day. Third- and fourth-instar nymphs are darker and forage on their own. Generally there is one generation a year, but females produce two broods.
Part of the earwig population hibernates during the winter as pairs buried in cells in the soil. In the hotter parts of California, earwigs may be relatively inactive during the summer. In milder California climates, some remain active all year.
DAMAGE
Earwigs feed on the following: insects, mites, and growing shoots of plants. They are often feed on aphids and insect eggs and can provide significant biological control under some circumstances.
Earwigs can cause leaf and stem damage to seedling plants and soft fruit (apricots, strawberries, raspberries, etc). When feeding on the leaves on older plants, including fruit trees it is common to find numerous irregular holes or chew marks around the edges. This damage may resemble that caused by caterpillars. Earwigs also cause damage to flowers including zinnias, marigolds, and dahlias. Earwigs will seek indoor areas when conditions outside are too dry, hot, or cold. Sweeping and vacuuming is helpful in the control of earwigs as well as sealing entry points around your home or business.
If earwigs are a regular problem in a building, inspect the area to see how they are getting into the house and properly seal the exposed cracks and entry points. Removing debris and organic material from the perimeter of a building that could provide harborage is also an excellent control measure. Possible harborage sites include: ivy growing up walls, ground cover, mulch, gutters debris, wood piles, piles of newspapers, etc.
It is also helpful to keep moisture away from the structure that will attract earwigs. Repairing drain spouts, proper land grading for water drainage, and ventilating crawl spaces will all help to minimize moisture around and under your home. If earwigs are attracted to outdoor lighting, use yellow or sodium vapor lightbulbs, which are less attractive to these insects.
Earwigs Inside the Home
Indoors, earwigs can be swept or vacuumed up; be sure to kill and dispose of them promptly so they won’t reinvade. If earwigs are a regular problem in a building, inspect the area to see how they are getting into the house and seal up cracks and entry points. Remove materials outside the perimeter of the building that could provide harborage, such as ivy growing up walls, ground cover, bark mulches, debris (especially leaves in gutters), wood piles, leaf litter, piles of newspapers, or other organic matter.
Also, keep water and moisture away from the structure by repairing drain spouts, grading the area so water drains away from the structure, and ventilating crawl spaces to minimize moisture. Insecticide treatments indoors aren’t recommended, since they will do little to prevent invasions. If earwigs are attracted to outdoor lighting, use yellow or sodium vapor lightbulbs, which are less attractive to these insects.
Golden Hills Pest Control
Monday - Friday 8AM – 4PM
East Sacramento, Rocklin, Rancho Cordova, Orangevale, Lincoln, Citrus Heights, Sacramento, Roseville, Elk Grove, Folsom, West Sacramento, Fair Oaks, Carmichael.
Monday - Friday 8AM – 4PM
