Here’s How to Get Rid of Earwigs

Earwigs can be a pesky problem for homeowners. While they can benefit your garden by acting as natural composters, if left unchecked they will chew through plants, flowers, fruits and vegetables. If the earwig population in your garden gets out of control, they can also invade your home. Here’s how to get rid of earwigs both inside and outside of your home.

How to Check for Earwigs

Earwigs are easy to identify: they have six legs, two antennae and pincers that give them their nickname, pincher bugs. These pesky bugs are drawn to cool, damp, moist areas, and seek shelter from cold temperatures in fall, or try to escape hot, dry conditions in summer. They typically enter your home through cracks, gaps and holes in your home’s foundation. Here’s where to look for them:

Inside Your Home

Moist, damp areas such as bathrooms, kitchens, laundry rooms
Around faucets and air conditioning units
Cool, dark places such as basements and crawl spaces

Outside Your Home

Fruit, vegetable and flower gardens
Under dead plants, rotting wet wood or leaf piles
Near porch and patio lights
Under outdoor cushions and flowerpots

How to Kill Earwigs

There are a variety of ways to control earwigs in and around your home. Chemicals can be effective, but you can also use DIY environmentally friendly solutions.

Bug Sprays

Spray an insecticidal soap or bug spray that’s designed to control earwigs to eradicate them from your home and garden.

Olive Oil & Soy Sauce

Mix olive oil and soy sauce in a small container and place it near the earwigs to attract and eliminate them.

Moist Newspaper

Place a damp rolled or crumpled newspaper around your garden after dark. In the morning, put it in a pail filled with hot, soapy water to trap them and wipe them out.

Diatomaceous Earth

Sprinkle diatomaceous earth (DE) in areas affected by earwigs. The fine particles infiltrate the earwig’s exoskeleton and kills them.

Rubbing Alcohol

Spritz a solution of equal parts 70 percent rubbing alcohol and water to kill earwigs on contact.

Dish Soap

Spray a combination of dish soap and water on areas where earwigs live to get rid of them.

Vacuum

Use a handheld vacuum to scoop up earwigs as you encounter them and empty them in a closed trash can or garbage bag.

Attract Earwig Predators

Natural predators like birds, frogs and spiders can also help control the earwig population in your yard. Here are a few ways to attract them:

Birds: Install birdhouses, bird feeders, birdbaths and fountains in your yard.

Frogs: Build a small pond to encourage frogs to inhabit your garden.

Toads: Place toad houses in your garden to encourage toads to shelter there.

Tachinid Flies: Grow carrots, cilantro, coriander, dill and sweet clover in your garden to attract tachinid flies, which feed on earwigs.

Spiders: Place mulch or other ground covers in your garden to attract spiders

Grow Plants that Repel Earwigs

Certain plants contain powerful odours that repel earwigs. Try planting earwig-repellent plants like garlic, onions and bay trees around the perimeter of your yard or garden to help keep them away.

How to Keep Earwigs Out of Your Home

It’s easier to keep earwigs out of your home than trying to eliminate them once they’re inside. Here’s some simple steps you can take:

Window Screens: Repair any holes or tears and ensure that the screen is attached tightly to the window frame to eliminate entry points.

Gutters and Downspouts: Ensure that your eavestroughs are clear and drain away from your home to prevent water pooling, which can be a breeding ground for earwigs.

Foundation Cracks: Seal any cracks and crevices around your home with caulking to eliminate entry points.

Drains & Pipes: Repair leaky faucets inside and outside your home to prevent moisture buildup in drains and pipes.

Basement: Use a dehumidifier in your basement to remove excess moisture

Doors & Windows: Create an insect barrier by sealing all gaps around windows and doors with weather stripping.

Storage Proximity: Keep dead leaves, mulch and firewood six to 12 inches away from your home’s foundation to prevent entry.

Earwigs are a nuisance whether they inhabit your garden or invade your home. Fortunately, there are plenty of practical, proven solutions to keep them at bay.