What are Earwigs? How Can You Keep Them From Entering Your Place?
Any type of pest infestation is harmful to our house and health. To keep our house pest-free, we must be cautious and take immediate steps as soon as we see the traces of their existence. The more we delay, the more they breed. Some pest infestations can be very hard, if not impossible, to remove. We can commonly detect earwig infestation in households. Before going further, let’s understand what an earwig is and how we can prevent an infestation.
What is an earwig?
Earwigs are a type of bug that can crawl. The name of these insects was coined from a popular myth that said they dwell in human ears. They can be detected in any type of growing area. Earwigs love cold, damp, humid, and warm climates. During the day, they hide, so catching them is not easy. Basements, dark, damp places, woodpiles, decaying wood, and diseased plants are some of the common areas where we can find them. Earwigs are not territorial, so they live in big colonies.
What are the eating habits of earwigs?
Earwigs are omnivores, which means that they can eat anything in front of them. They usually feed on decaying plants and animals. Apart from these, they can also eat insect eggs, grubs, maggots, aphids, and armyworms. If they outgrow in number, they turn to small plants and young flowers.
How to prevent earwigs from entering your house?
Earwigs move very fast and they have pinchers at the end of their abdomen. These insects are not dangerous but if they pinch you, it will hurt. Any decaying element and moisture attracts them. You can find them under logs, inside cracks, and flowerbeds.
Thankfully, they can be removed with simple homemade remedies. You can also call professionals like Pinnacle Pest for help. If you want to use home remedies, some of the tips mentioned below will help you get rid of earwigs and prevent any earwig infestation in the future.
Dish soap mixture
After you detect an earwig infestation, you can spray a mixture of warm water and dish soap on the area. This will kill those earwigs and prevent any further infestation. You can use this mixture on the leaves and corners of your house.
Alcohol-based spray
Rubbing alcohol works great to kill earwigs instantly. The alcohol penetrates their armor made of wax. So, mix water and rubbing alcohol equally and spray on them for an instant result.
Boric acid solution
Boric acid is used as a natural insecticide. You can spread the powder where earwigs are likely to crawl. Coming into contact with boric powder will kill them. But always keep this powder away from pets and children. Sprinkle boric acid powder on the woods and damp corners for best results.
Earwig traps
You can make an earwig trap easily. Mix dish soap with warm water and make it foamy. Keep a bucket filled with foamy water outside. Keep a bright lamp near the bucket so that the light falls on the foam. The earwigs will be attracted to the light and drown in water before they enter your house.
Soy sauce-oil traps
The smell of soy sauce and oil attracts earwigs. So, pour soy sauce and vegetable oil into a container. Make small holes on its lid so that the earwigs can enter. When they enter the container, they will drown in the oil and die.
Vacuuming the area
You can use a vacuum cleaner to remove all earwigs and their eggs from any infested area. After capturing them in the cleaner, pour them in a packet and drown them in soap water. Do remember to clean the vacuum thoroughly before you use it again.
Birds
Many birds prey upon earwigs. If your garden is infested with earwigs, draw such birds and get rid of these insects naturally. Use bird feeders and birdhouses to attract them.
Pesticide
You can also use an earwig pesticide to prevent them from entering your home and kill the existing ones. Do not spray the pesticide near kids’ reach. You can safely spray it in your lawn, garden, roof, and basement. This will prevent them from entering your place.
Repair all broken doors and windows
Earwigs get access to your house through holes and cracks on your doors and windows. They are very tiny creatures, so a small hole will be enough for them. Repair all such holes in your house. If your doors and windows are much damaged, replace them completely to save your home from an earwig infestation.
Fill all gaps and cracks
Sometimes, earwigs enter our house through small cracks and gaps on our walls and house corners. Make sure that all such corners and walls are completely sealed to stop earwigs from entering your house.
Use sodium lighting
Most regular lights release a blue wavelength that attracts earwigs. But sodium lights have a yellow hue, which does not attract them. So, replace all your regular lamps with sodium lamps.
Conclusion
These are a few of the most effective tips to prevent earwigs from entering your house. Use them and make your house free of earwigs. If the infestation is out of control, take the help of professionals and maintain the hygiene of your home.
