Ewwww ….!! It’s an earwig! Or what some people call “one of those pincher bugs”! A balance of earwigs in your garden can actually be beneficial as they will eliminate other pests such as aphids, mites and insect larvae.
Earwigs can look frightening, but they are pretty much harmless to us. In the garden though, an abundance of earwigs can chew up plants and flowers, eat through fruits and vegetable plants and really make a mess of areas that you have worked so hard to make beautiful. They chew irregularly shaped holes in plant leaves and flower petals, tunnel into flower buds, and also consume seedlings. Some of their favorite plants to chew are marigolds, zinnias, dahlias, potatoes, lettuce, beans, coleus, basil and roses.
Because earwigs are nocturnal they tend to hide during the day in damp and cool places such as under flower pots or in the dirt, just waiting for night to fall when they will come out. You may see them scampering away during the day if you lift a pot.
A few tips to try and rid yourself of these unwanted garden pests:
• Mix dish soap and water and spray the areas you have seen earwigs crawling around. This will deter them from the area.
• Mixing rubbing alcohol (70%) and water together makes an effective spray that will kill earwigs immediately by removing the protective wax coating on their outer shell, making them more vulnerable to insect sprays.
• Combining an oil and soy sauce in a small container and placing it in an area where earwigs tend to inhabit will attract them to the smell, where they will climb into the container and drown in the liquid. (for those that aren’t too squeamish!) It’s them or your plants!
• Diatomaceous earth is a product that is effective for ridding your gardens and plants of earwigs. If using diatomaceous earth ensure that you sprinkle it carefully around the base of your plant (under the mulch if present) and know that if it rains a lot you will need to reapply it. There are other products available at garden centres as well.
* You can use cinnamon on any indoor or outdoor space as protection against pest infestations. Cinnamon doesn’t only scare away earwigs, but also cockroaches, spiders, fruit flies, ants, wasps, silverfish, mosquitoes, and even bed bugs.
Planting companion plants in your garden that repel earwigs is a way to deter them from taking over. Plants such as garlic, wormwood, alyssum and dill are a few which can be excellent in getting rid of earwigs and they will also help exterminate mosquitoes.
Expect more earwigs during rainy years or wet periods during spring and summer and prepare for them accordingly.