How to Get Rid of Earwigs in Your House

Earwigs (order Dermaptera)—also referred to as “pincer bugs” or “pincher bugs” in some regions of the United States—are primarily nocturnal insects with somewhat frightening-looking pincers. They like to live in moist, decaying areas, chomping down on rotting wood, fruits, and more.

If you’ve come across these pests indoors, it’s normal to wonder how to get rid of earwigs inside your house. Learn how to get them out of your home so you can relax knowing earwigs aren’t a problem.

WHAT ARE EARWIGS?

Earwig species are found all over the world. They are small insects, usually not longer than an inch, but some species can reach 30 mm or longer. Earwigs have a fairly standard insect body with:

Two antennae
Three body sections
Six legs
A set of pincers, either straight or curved, called cerci

What may set them apart is the pair of pincers on their rears. Male earwigs have curved pincers, and females have straight pincers, which is an easy way to differentiate between the two.

There are several species of earwig in the United States. The most common kind of earwig in the United States is the European earwig (Forficula auricularia Linnaeus). Other common species include the ringlegged earwig (Euborellia annulipes) and striped earwig (Labidura riparia).

WHAT DO EARWIGS LOOK LIKE?

There are over 2,000 earwig species, so it’s hard to describe all of them. However, the three primary species in the United States—the European, ringlegged, and striped earwigs—all look different enough that you can usually tell them apart. While they sometimes overlap in location, their sizes, colors, and general shapes vary.

EUROPEAN EARWIG

WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE

The European earwig (Forficula auricularia Linnaeus) is around 13-14 mm long. Males have curved cerci (pincers), while females have smaller, straight cerci. They appear wingless (but they do have wings), and they are reddish or dark brown.

WHERE IT’S FOUND

The European earwig is native to Europe, but it was brought to North America, likely through trade, in the early 1900s. Today, you can find it in states including Arizona, California, and North Carolina. This species prefers temperate climates.

RINGLEGGED EARWIG

WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE

The red-legged or ringlegged earwig (Euborellia annulipes) is 12-16 mm long. They are usually dark brown when adults, and their legs are lighter in color, usually light brown or yellowish. They have many segments on their bodies (10 for males and 8 for females). Unlike European earwigs, they do not have wings.

WHERE IT’S FOUND

This earwig species can be found in Florida, Ohio, and in both tropical and temperate climates. It is often found in the northern states, but it has spread through the southern states and Hawaii as well.

STRIPED EARWIG

WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE

The striped earwig (Labidura riparia) is named such because it appears to have a double-striped pronotum (that’s the plate-like structure covering the thorax that you’ll see just behind the insect’s head). Like other earwigs, it is also brown, but it has light-colored legs and can be quite large, reaching up to 30 mm.

WHERE IT’S FOUND

Also known as the shore earwig, riparian earwig, or tawny earwig, the striped earwig is generally found in tropical or subtropical areas.

You don’t need to know the kind of earwig (or even the type of bug!) to have our team inspect your home and determine the best pest control options. Our helpful field experts can identify the invading species and put together a plan to remove pests from your home inside and out.

WHY DO I KEEP FINDING EARWIGS IN MY HOUSE?

Earwigs are opportunists when it comes to finding somewhere to live. They may come into your home because it offers a suitable environment for them. They can hide easily, and they may have opportunities to find food.

For example, earwigs often eat plants, rotting vegetation, and fruits. They may also harbor in moist areas, such as places in your home where you have leaks. If you regularly leave out food or you have a composter near one of your doors, be aware that those food sources can attract earwigs and other insects.

You may also find earwigs in your home as temperatures begin to drop. Like many insects, earwigs want to stay warm and will travel toward warmth and light. If you’ve only noticed an uptick of earwigs inside in the late fall or early winter, the temperature outside could be to blame.

HOW DO I PERMANENTLY GET RID OF EARWIGS?

The golden trio—light, warmth, and moisture—is a surefire way to attract many types of insects inside. Earwigs are no exception.

Here are some of the ways you can deter earwigs from coming inside and get rid of them if they’ve already come indoors.

CHANGE YOUR LIGHTING

One of the things you can do to help your home become less of a draw for insects is to change the lighting you use in outside windows and light fixtures. LED lights are a great choice since they don’t emit as much heat as traditional lights. Opting for colors in the orange, pink, or yellow range can also help since these colors are usually less attractive to pests.

If you currently use blue-toned or bright-white lighting, like white fluorescent or white incandescent lights, consider swapping them out for less insect-appealing hues.

COOL DOWN YOUR PROPERTY

Another thing that will deter bugs is if your home is not warm and inviting. Anything above freezing might draw insects, but you don’t need to chill your home out that much. Try dropping your home’s temperature by a few degrees, and insects might opt to move to warmer areas.

On that note, if you happen to have an infestation in a garage or outbuilding that you usually heat, consider turning off the heat (when it’s reasonable to do so) and getting the temperature to drop to freezing or below. This temperature change can help drive the pests away.

CUT OFF FOOD SOURCES

One of the primary reasons that earwigs, as well as any other pest, will make their way into your property is because of the availability of food resources. Your job, if you want to get rid of them, is to eliminate those sources.

INSIDE

Make sure you eliminate excess moisture sources (leaks, pooling, etc.) as soon as you discover them.
Keep pantry items in sealed, airtight containers, so insects are less likely to get inside.
Put fruit in a drawer in the fridge to minimize the chances of attracting earwigs on your countertops.
Throw away dying or rotting plants that could be a food source for scavenging insects.

OUTSIDE

Clean up your landscaping to get rid of brush or decaying items that might draw the attention of earwigs.
Shake out cut flowers before bringing them inside, just in case an earwig is catching a ride.
Consider using a sealed compost bin instead of a compost pile. An uncovered pile can more easily provide food and harborage areas for insects and other pests.

TAKE CARE OF YOUR LANDSCAPING

A good way to minimize insects around your lawn is to get rid of hiding places. Cutting back brush, throwing away cuttings, and making sure rotting wood is removed from the property can all help. If your store firewood, keep it at least 12-18″ away from the sides of your house.

If your yard tends to hold moisture, consider installing a drain to remove excess water. If that’s not possible, think about ways to get more sunlight to the area so it can dry out, such as cutting back shady trees and branches.

Make sure mulch, bushes, and ornamental plants don’t touch the sides or roof of your house so you can limit the number of places where insects can crawl onto (and into) your home.

Joshua’s Pest Control includes a foundation treatment on every maintenance visit to seal the cracks and crevices pests use to gain entry inside. These preventative services create a barrier against pests wanting to come inside.

CHECK YOUR GUTTERS

Have you noticed that your gutters aren’t draining properly when it rains? If water is overflowing and not draining properly, that’s bad news for your home.

When your home’s gutters are clogged with fallen leaves and decaying organic material, they make a moist, inviting home for earwigs and other pests. To cut down on the number of earwigs that make their way into your home, cleaning your gutters can help.

A gutter cleaning service can come out to do this for you, or you can use a ladder and manually pull the debris out of your gutters. Best of all, while you’re eliminating insects, you’re also making your gutters more functional and reducing the risk of moisture damage to your roof and the foundation of your home. This is a win-win home maintenance task.

REPAIR WATER DAMAGE TO ELIMINATE MOISTURE

Whether you have a burst pipe that damaged wood flooring in your home or you notice that a leak has caused rot, you need to take care of the problem if you want to deter insects.

You can hire a professional to replace drywall or flooring, but don’t forget to have your plumbing inspected to make sure it is properly sealed. Additionally, if water is coming in from outside, you may want to have someone take a look at your basement or crawl space and add additional seals around windows. For roofing damage, make repairs as soon as you can.

SEAL UP YOUR HOME

As temperatures drop, make sure your doors and windows are sealed well. Weather stripping and door sweeps eventually wear out with use and exposure to the elements, but both can be easily updated using replacements from your local home improvement store.

GET HELP FROM PEST CONTROL EXPERTS

If you’re facing earwigs, get in touch with our pest control team. We’ll put together a treatment plan to make sure these insects stay controlled and where they belong—outside and off your property.

GET HELP FROM JOSHUA’S PEST CONTROL

A professional pest inspection and service can help you eliminate bothersome pests so you don’t have to worry about them anymore. Give Joshua’s Pest Control a call today to chat with our experts about setting up a free quote.

SOURCES

Author Bio

Courtney Enzor has worked in the pest control industry for about a decade. From helping you build a fly trap to giving you the best tips for identifying various bugs, she loves answering all your pest-related questions and sharing her pest-related expertise through writing. At the end of the day, she hopes her content will help people avoid mishaps and keep families happy and healthy!

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