PK-H03 · Household invaders
How to get rid of Earwigs
Forficula auricularia and others
Earwigs have pincers and a folklore problem. They do not seek ears as a lifestyle. They are nocturnal, moisture-loving omnivores that invade after watering. Control is dry the foundation, pull mulch back, seal, and use traps (damp newspaper rolls outdoors) — not a panic about pincers. They can nibble seedlings. Indoor numbers mean outdoor harborage against the house.
How to identify Earwig
- Cerci (pincers), short wings, chestnut brown, nocturnal.
- Found under pots, mulch, and in damp bathrooms after rain.
Signs of an infestation
- Pinchers in a bathtub (they fell in).
- Chewed seedlings.
- Clusters under a doormat.
Biology and why they show up
Maternal care of eggs in soil. Night foragers. Attracted to lights somewhat. Moisture corridors into houses.
Health and property risk
Minor pinches, garden damage, startle factor. Not a disease insect.
Proven control sequence
Work in this order. Skipping inspection or exclusion is why most “treatments” bounce back in a week.
- Dry and declutter the foundation. Mulch off siding, fix irrigation overspray, lift doormats.
- Seal and screens. They use the same gaps as other invaders.
- Outdoor trapping. Moist rolled newspaper or oil traps as extension describes, emptied into soapy water. Not gasoline.
Matching tools for these steps can be bought on Amazon. Buy the field kit.
Tools for earwigs at the slab
Mulch and night lights pull them to the door. Seal the sill. Interior sprays miss the harborage.
As an Amazon Associate, Pest Kill earns from qualifying purchases. The EPA label is the law for any pesticide. These links match the sequence on this page — they are not a shopping list instead of identification. Details: advertising disclosure. Browse the full tools catalog.
Hardware
Door sweep / garage threshold seal
The gap under an alley or garage door feeds more rats than a bait station on the wrong wall. Measure the gap. A sweep is exclusion, not a gadget.
Hardware
Door and window weatherstripping
Stink bugs, lady beetles, and cluster flies use the same leaky envelope as a draft. Replace flattened foam at the stop. Pair with a door sweep on the sill gap.
Hardware
Copper mesh for rodent gaps
Stuff quarter-sized and smaller holes after you know the runways. Steel wool rusts and gets pulled out. Mesh is not a substitute for a door sweep on a half-inch gap.
Prevention that actually sticks
- A dry inspection strip.
- Reduce night lighting at doors if they congregate.
When to hire a licensed professional
Rarely. Chronic irrigation against stucco may need a landscaper.
United States and Tier 1 notes
European earwig is a common US invader. Same logic on the West Coast and East.
Common questions
Do they crawl into ears?
That is folklore. They like crevices. They do not hunt sleeping humans as a life history trait.