Earwigs

What do earwigs look like?

Fleas are tiny, parasitic pests. They appear reddish-brown and have flat bodies. Fleas have six legs, with the last pair being larger and stronger than the others. These powerful legs allow them to jump many times their own height. Fleas also have bristles on their bodies and legs that help them move easily through hair, fur, and feathers.

What do earwigs eat?

Earwigs feed on a variety of items. They prefer decaying vegetation, like leaves and flowers, but also eat fruits, insects, and seeds.

Do earwigs really crawl into people’s ears?

The idea that earwigs crawl into people’s ears and feed on their brains is an old European tale that is, thankfully, just a myth. Although theoretically, an earwig could crawl into your ear, it wouldn’t get very far and it certainly wouldn’t start feeding on your gray matter.

Are earwigs harmful to humans or pets?

The myth about earwigs crawling into your ears combined with the scary appearance of earwigs makes it easy to understand why so many people would think that earwigs are harmful to humans and pets. Thankfully, the good news doesn’t end with finding out that earwigs don’t crawl into ears. 

Earwigs are not harmful to humans or pets. They can use their pincers if they feel threatened, but even if they do, it’s rarely hard enough to hurt or even break the skin. Some earwigs give off a foul-smelling odor to protect themselves, but even this won’t hurt you. Earwigs are also not known to spread any diseases.

What attracts earwigs to homes?

Earwigs typically get indoors for two reasons: They either need food or they need to change their habitat due to outdoor conditions. They like cool, wet areas, so once they get inside, you’re most likely to find earwigs near water sources, such as in kitchens, bathrooms, laundry rooms, or in damp basements.

When outdoors, earwigs may get close to your house for a number of reasons. They are nocturnal creatures that are attracted to light, so they’ll come close to your house at night if you leave the lights on. During the day, they’ll seek out cool, moist areas where they can hide undisturbed. They can often be found under mulch or leaf piles or in small crevices.

How do earwigs get inside?

All earwigs have to do to find their way indoors is to exploit small cracks and openings around the exterior of your house. If you have cracks in your foundation, gaps around windows or doors, or other entry points, they will be able to get inside your house.

Where do earwigs hide inside a house?

Earwigs like moist environments. They are most likely to be found in areas of your house where it is humid or where there is a water supply. Many homeowners first discover an infestation in a bathroom, but earwigs may also be found in kitchens, laundry rooms, or basements. Once inside, they may also travel around to other, drier rooms in your house.

How can I get rid of earwigs in my home?

If you find an earwig infestation in your house, you’ll want to get rid of these insects. Although they won’t harm you and are considered nuisance pests, you don’t want to encounter earwigs as you go about your day. Furthermore, earwigs tend to congregate in large groups, so once you get a few of them in your house, more are likely to follow. 

To get rid of earwigs in your home, contact the professionals at The Pied Piper. We offer home pest control services to eliminate earwigs and other problem pests from your house. Our home pest control also provides the ongoing coverage you need to protect your home from future infestations. 

Can I prevent earwigs from infesting?

Ideally, you won’t have to worry about an earwig infestation in your house because you’ll have taken the steps necessary to prevent them from getting inside. There are plenty of things you can do to make your house unattractive to earwigs and difficult for these pests to get into. These prevention tips will help you keep your house earwig-free:

• Seal cracks and crevices around your foundation.
• Fill gaps around windows and doors.
• Repair or cover other openings into your house.
• Address moisture issues both inside and outside your house.
• Remove leaf litter around your property.
• Eliminate as much organic matter around the perimeter of your house as possible.
• Replace outdoor lights with yellow bulbs.
• Cut back tree branches and other vegetation to reduce shady areas where moisture can collect.

For additional earwig protection, contact The Pied Piper today!