14 TIPS TO PREVENT EARWIGS

Thanks to old European folklore, Earwigs have a horrific reputation they just can’t seen to shake. Their ugly and icky appearance doesn’t help them either, causing an involuntary shudder from those who discover them.

Despite their bad reputation, earwigs are often beneficial because they feed on decaying organic matter and unwanted garden pests.

Regardless, earwigs are just not liked or wanted around a home or business.

The most effective way to get rid of earwigs is to prevent them. This means taking steps to:

• eliminate any hiding and nesting places outside around your home or business.
• prevent access inside.

Here are 14 expert tips for earwig prevention:

1. Seal gaps and cracks in and around doors, windows, foundations, pipes, and other entry points with high quality caulking and putty.
2. Fix broken screens and ensure a tight fit.
3. Use door sweeps and weather stripping.
4. Use a dehumidifier indoors, in damp rooms or areas like basements.
5. Trim back vegetation from the exterior of your home or business.
6. Regularly dispose or compost yard waste.
7. Remove or minimize mulch, decorative stones, ornamental objects, logs or firewood around your perimeter.
8. Remove debris piles from around the exterior.
9. Fix any leaking faucets, air-conditioning units or irrigation system around the perimeter.
10. Keep gutters and downspouts in good condition and direct them to drain away from your structure’s foundation.
11. When watering outdoor plants and greenery around your home or business’s exterior, do so in the morning so that it has time to dry during the day.
12. Use yellow light bulbs in outdoor lighting.
13. If you have a garden, regularly remove damaged or rotten vegetation to minimize sources of food for earwigs (and other insects too).
14. Prior to bringing any flowers, plants or vegetables inside, check for earwigs under leaves or inside blooms and remove.

And remember that just because you spot one or a few earwigs indoors does not mean you have a full-blown earwig infestation. They often wander inside on very hot dry days seeking some relief.

If you discover an earwig infestation or are concerned you may have one, working with a licensed pest control company can help you get rid of earwigs and minimize future earwig infestations.

Environmental Pest Control offers effective and safe solutions for getting rid of earwigs, so give us a call if you’re looking for earwig pest control help.