Earwig Identification & Prevention

Earwigs are nuisance insects that appear quite frightening at first, especially if a large infestation is present. Earwigs grow to be around an inch long, they are dark brown to black in color, and their legs tend to be a lighter brown. They have a large pincer at their rear and long antennae at their front, and they have a pair of wings that are typically a little lighter in color than the rest of their body. If needed, earwigs can use their wings to fly in short bursts, but they don’t typically utilize their wings except when absolutely necessary.

A sudden earwig infestation on your property is no doubt unsettling, and it takes assistance from our pest management professionals at The PEST Group to fully remove these unsightly pests.

Even though earwigs look quite frightening and have a large pincer at their rear, they are not quite as dangerous as you would think. Earwigs don’t bite humans, nor do they transmit disease. The belief that earwigs will crawl into ears at night and lay eggs or bite is nothing but a myth, and earwigs are more likely to run away from humans than try to attack them.

If an earwig bite is received, it’s likely to be nothing more than a simple pinch from this insect’s pincers; it is unlikely that a pinch like this will break the skin. An earwig’s main danger is being frightening and causing annoyance around your property as they invade in large numbers.

Earwigs are opportunistic, and they will pursue easy access to food sources and favorable temperatures in addition to plenty of moisture. You may accidentally pick up an earwig problem by transporting wet plants, damp cardboard, or items like wet newspaper inside, or you may encourage earwigs in outdoor areas by leaving piles of damp leaves and organic debris around.

Some earwigs may slip inside cracks around your property in pursuit of moisture or dark, secluded areas inside, such as basements and garages.

Earwigs are most commonly found hiding in dark and secluded areas near moisture, as they don’t like to be disturbed and are more active at nighttime. Indoors, you are likely to find earwigs in bathrooms, around stacks of newspaper or damp papers, in basements, and near dark, damp laundry rooms. Outdoors, earwigs frequent vegetable gardens, damp piles of debris, or moist and swamp areas.

Get rid of earwigs the right way by contacting The PEST Group as soon as you notice a problem on your property. Our pest management professionals are ready to help by identifying your major earwig problem areas and developing treatment solutions that are perfectly tailored to your property’s needs. With our help, you won’t need to worry about any DIY solutions; simply trust our professional home pest control and commercial pest control expertise to get this frightening pest off of your property.

Call us now to request a free inspection or to learn more.

If you want to prevent future earwig problems, follow these helpful expert tips:

• Address moisture issues around your property to prevent the damp or humid conditions that earwigs love from forming.

• Seal cracks around your property’s structure, windows, and doors to keep earwigs from slipping inside.

• Make sure window and door screens are intact and utilize weatherstripping and door sweeps to keep earwigs outside.

• Clear outdoor areas of debris piles and decaying leaf piles to reduce earwig hiding spots.

For more information, reach out to The PEST Group to speak with a knowledgeable earwig exterminator.