Why Earwigs Are Invading Your Home

If you see one earwig in your house, you are sure to find another. These creatures luckily do not cause structural damage in the home, but they often sneak indoors during the summer months (during their breeding season) and can be found crawling on countertops, climbing in the bathtub or even snaking along the floor.

Largely nocturnal, earwigs will typically seek shelter during the day, so when you find them indoors it’s typically because you have disturbed their hiding place while cleaning or moving items around. Why do you have earwigs in the home and how do you get rid of them? Use this guide to help you understand this odd creature so you can rid your home of this pest.

Earwigs Seek Food

Earwigs do not chew on your home’s foundation the way termites do, and they do not burrow tunnels in your home like ants. The main reason they may be entering your home is because your house offers a dry, safe place to hide and plenty of opportunities for food. Earwigs are not picky eaters and will eat rotting vegetation in the yard, many of your live plants and even fruit fallen from trees.

Indoors, earwigs will scavenge for garbage that they can find. Small crumbs, food left on countertops and even spilled food in your cupboards all provide the necessary nutrition that an earwig looks for.

Earwigs Seek Shelter

Another reason earwigs may invade your home is due to harsh weather conditions. Extreme heat or cold outdoors can drive these creatures indoors, and since they can get inside by the tiniest of cracks, you will quickly see these insects multiply. You will find earwigs most commonly near doorways, such as your front or back door, and in areas where they can hide easily while having access to food or water, such as your bathroom or kitchen.

Earwigs Seek Moisture

In their natural habitat, earwigs thrive best in moist soil or rotting, wet leaves. Inside, your home has many places where an earwig can be comfortable. Under your kitchen and bathroom sinks, in your basement or even in your crawl space, an earwig can have plenty of access to moist shelter that is also temperature-friendly.

Getting Rid of Earwigs

If you have a large earwig infestation in the home, you will want to call a pest control specialist to treat your house and property to kill and reduce the earwig population. Smaller infestations can be prevented and reduced by doing the following:

• Vacuuming Often – Vacuuming regularly not only sucks up wandering earwigs from your floors, but it eliminates food sources. Vacuum daily to help get rid of earwigs.
• Dehumidifying Your Home – Place a fan or dehumidifier in areas of your house that are damp, such as your bathroom or under your kitchen sink. When earwigs don’t have a moist place to call their own, they may move back outside.
• Keeping Entries Secure – Earwigs get in the home by coming in your doors, windows and any small cracks in your home. Caulk window sills and put a cloth under your doors to keep earwigs from getting inside.

While you can do certain things at home to keep earwigs at bay, your best option is to allow a pest control specialist to spray your yard and home to get rid of the bulk of the infestation. After your earwigs have been initially attacked, you can perform measures at home to keep them from returning.

We have over 100 years of combined experience dealing with insects and other pests at Beebe’s Pest & Termite Control. Allow us the opportunity to get rid of your earwig infestation for you.