What is the best thing to get rid of earwigs? They're everywhere!?

Answer 1

Get some rolled up newspapers, or rolled corrugated cardboard, or 12" sections of old hose and place them under the plants that are infested with them. They will use these tubes as shelter from the day and in the evening you can shake the pests into a pail of soapy water. Continue to do this until you are no longer catching earwigs.

Answer 2

“Getting rid of earwigs can be very difficult. They breed under foundations and in moist leaf litter where it is not easy to reach. Adults can move up into buildings via small cracks in the foundation as they search for a humid habitat. Once exposed inside a building they must quickly return to a humid habitat to avoid desiccation. Since they feed on decaying vegetation, they are not likely to feed on baits.

This means that setting out sticky traps is probably a good line of defense. These traps will not only capture earwigs but will strongly indicate population levels and potential routes of access. Experience shows that traps placed at floor level in moist areas do best. Traps should be kept fresh because it takes a good sticky trap to hold earwigs.

The use of pesticides as either an outside perimeter spray or as an interior perimeter spray will have minimal effect. Dead earwigs that accumulate inside a building will serve as a food source for carpet beetles and other urban pests. Therefore it is best to capture specimens, reduce moisture and seal out routes of entry.

Reducing moisture under and around the foundation will help to control earwigs. Make sure that water accumulated from roof top areas is drained well away from the building foundation. For the same reason keep leaves, wood, compost and other organic material away from the side of the building.”


Here are a few additional things that you can do for earwigs

-Encourage natural earwig predators including toads and birds.

-Construct earwig traps out of shallow tin cans. Fill the cans with a half-inch of vegetable oil and place them in the garden. Empty and refill as needed.

-Earwigs can also be trapped in cardboard boxes baited with oatmeal or bran. Poke a pencil-sized hole in the sides near the bottom for entry.

-Effective earwig traps can also be made of rolled newspaper or old hose pieces. Place these tubes near plants at sunset. Empty into a bucket of water each morning.

-Insecticides and traps used for cockroaches are also effective indoors against earwigs.

-Granular or wettable powder formulations of insecticides may be used to control earwigs outdoors. Do not apply insecticides directly onto flowers, especially those that are toxic to bees. For best results, apply insecticides late in the afternoon or early evening, when earwigs are active.

Answer 3

you can use soapy water and spray it in where it is needed. it does kill them, i have use it between the fence post and the steps. this way you don't have to use chemicals to kill them.

Answer 4

just spray insect killer if it is not near any plants