Earwigs (Forficula)

Earwigs can look  quite formidable due to the pincer style protrusions at the rear end of the abdomen. Thier name comes from an old wives tale which claimed that earwigs slept in your ears at night and buried their pincers into the brain.  This is not true! They can come indoors, but this is mainly during the day to rest as they are nocturnal.  They rarely bite but on the occasions when they do it is usually because they are  handled or sat/trod on.

They do have wings but prefer to use their legs to get along.


Damage

In the garden, they eat young foliage and flowers of many plants.  It may not be as significant as other pests like slugs or rabbits, but if the plants attacked are young, they will be severly damaged or may die. They feed at night and especially enjoy clematis, dahlias and chrysanthemums, marigolds, lettuce, potatoes and hostas. They also eat other insects which can be beneficial including aphids, mites flesa and insect eggs. Earwig damage will be a prime suspect if you see damage to plants but cannot see any pests on the plants during the day.

 

 

Identification

Adult earwigs are tawny brown in clour and are roughly about 16mm long with the distinctive pincer 'tail' at the opposite end to the head. They use these pincers for defense, capturing prey and for locating items. They emerge from eggs in mid June after being protected by the mother during the winter. She will feed and protect the young nymphs until they are capable of looking after themselves. They are particulary intensive after a wet spring and summer.

Control

 

Hunting for earwigs has to be done at night, but they do hide on the plants they eat so it can be surprisingly easy to find them.  They hide anywhere with small crevices that are dark and moist.

 

Protection from plants which are particularly vulnerable can be given by placing inverted plant pots on bamboo canes next to the chosen plant before morning.  The plant pots need to be at roughly the same height as the flower.  The pots should be stuffed with straw which will attract them and act as a trap. The pots need to be inspected daily for earwigs.  Another way of trapping them is in rolled up newspaper or in an old tuna fish can baited with fish or vegetable oil located near the problem plants.

If none of the above methods reduce the earwig population, you can spray the affected plants with bifenthrin at dusk and on a mild evening.