Seeing Earwigs Everywhere?

Earwigs (pincher bugs) were once widely believed to burrow into your ear while you slept...hence the name. You might have known that one, but did you know that earwigs are one of the few non-social insects to care for their young?

Earwigs clean their eggs to protect them from parasitic fungi, actively fight off predators, and will even feed their young after they have hatched! This may seem common, but in the insect world it is almost unheard of. Just about every other insect follows the "sink or swim" method of parenting.

Unfortunately, earwigs are pests and fast breeders. They can lay up to 60 eggs in a single burrow. Have you ever overturned soil only to see what seems like hundreds of earwigs scurrying about? Or witnessed areas of your garden almost devoured overnight?

Outdoors they can cause serious damage to your garden and ornamental plants. Freshly started gardens are even more at risk. They often go for the tender young plants as soon as they emerge from the ground, wiping out a bed of seedlings before you know it. There goes all of your hard work and money put into starting your lovely garden. Damage to these plants can often be mistaken for slug damage so it's worth knowing how to identify the problem and know what you’re dealing with.

Besides being a pest outdoors, they also love damp places and will commonly be sighted gathering in areas like bathrooms and garages. However, they move quickly and can be seen just about anywhere, even hiding in towels and bedding.

So besides rolling up that newspaper to give it a good smack, give us a call and we will help you with a treatment that will eliminate these pests and give you more peace of mind!